The Whole Picture
by Kalanthe
Summary: Akashi and Niou were once best friends, in her third year she transfers to Hyotei and finds herself in the centre of its tennis club's drama, but is she just running away from Niou, or is there something else after her? In her new life she makes new friends and new enemies are made but what did she do to have Niou turn on his best friend of over a decade?
1. Chapter 1

**_The Whole Picture_**

**Prologue**

"How could you? You of all people?" Niou demanded, His golden eyes watering with tears. "I trusted you, more than anyone else!" His companion looked away from him, tears trickling down her cheeks, her black bangs covered her face as she looked down.

"Haru," she began, but Niou interrupted her.

"Don't! I don't want to hear it! You had no right! No right!" his voice grew louder and louder. "I was supposed to be there beside her! Not you! You had no right Satsuki! None!"

"Haru, I-I'm sorry," said Akashi, her lower lip trembling as she spoke. "I, I'm so sorry, I don't know what I can do to make you even forgive me-"

"Forgive you!?" Niou sigh exasperatedly. "I can't believe you!" An incredulous smile appeared on his lips. "I can not believe you," he repeated, more to himself than anyone else. He took and step towards her and looked her in the eyes, the fear was evident, she knew what he was going to say.

"Haru-"

"I will never forgive you," he said cutting her off coldly. "I hate you, I don't ever want to see your face again Akashi Satsuki, ever. Get out of my life," with that he turned and walked away, leaving Akashi alone.

"I, I'm sorry," she said in a whisper, even though Niou could no longer hear her. She stood still as the words sunk in, her world was falling apart. Satsuki felt her knees weaken as she lower herself to the ground and hit the floor, she never really had a family, friends were a foreign concept, however she had a friend, just one. In a short span of time, she'd just lost the two most important people in her life, the only important people in her life.

Akashi buried her face in her hands and laughed, tears rolling down her cheeks, however the laughter turned into sobs and she cried alone.

**Chapter 1**

Niou Masaharu looked at his reflection as he fixed the blue school tie around his neck. His eyes were bloodshot, he hadn't been able to sleep well the night before as he was dreading the school year to come, it'd been just months ago when he told Akashi he didn't want to ever see her again, she'd been silent during the break but he knew she would pester him once school started. He could never forgive her, he told himself, he never wanted to see her again, he'd told her, but he knew she'd come after him with full force regardless of his wishes, she was that type of person, as much as she loved him, she loved herself more. No doubt it was that 'Better you die than I' trait that resulted in her having so few friends, he chuckled at the thought of those memories, how she used other students as a shield in a game of dodgeball, how she twisted facts to make others the guilty party.

"She's better out of my life," he said to his own reflection, but his resolution waved as he struggled to get the ties straight, she was the one to also fix it for him, she was the one who bleached his hair and dyed it silver. She'd pierced his ear using a safety pin, an apple and a cigarette lighter. Niou sighed. The start of the school year didn't come quickly enough it seemed, unlike the years before, this particular holiday was especially dreary, however he knew Akashi absence wasn't the only reason.

There was a knock on his bedroom door accompanied by the voice of a young girl. "Masa-chan! Mom said breakfast is ready!"

"I'm coming," he replied picking up his school bag and pulling it over one shoulder. "Blue skies and sunshine," he said to himself.

Niou yawned as he closed the front gate behind him as he headed off to school, he check his watch, usually he was still asleep at this time, even with his vacation training regimen, he slept in during the day and trained at night. He tugged at the tie around his neck, the knot was chaffing his skin so he pulled it down lower, even if he got in trouble once he pasted the school gates at that moment, he didn't really care.

"Yo!" greeted the pink haired Marui Bunta as he appeared out of nowhere and threw his arm over Niou's shoulders. "What's up?" Trailing not far behind him was Jackal Kuwahara, his bald head and dark skin standing out as usual.

"Puri," Niou said absent-mindedly as he turned his head and looked around, it was around this time that the trio met up with Kirihara Akaya and Akashi, the two of them lived close to each other and it'd become almost a tradition for them to walked to school together. Niou remembered hearing her complain and about how he fell asleep at the breakfast table and his mum would spend a good ten minutes waking him up, eventually Akashi got so fed up with him she brought with her a bottle filled with a mix of water, lemon juice, peppers and mustard and sprayed it up Kirihara's nose and down his throat. They were never late again.

"Senpai!" shouted the familiar voice of their junior, Kirihara's bouncy curly hair cropped out of nowhere and into their line of sight, he maneuvered his way around the other students and made his way towards them. "Good morning!"

"Morning," Marui and Kuwahara replied, Niou's eye suddenly lost interest, he was alone.

"Hey," Marui said as he elbowed Niou gently to get his attention.

"What!?" Niou demanded harshly, startling the pink head.

"The hell is up with you?" he asked his voice hurt, Niou sighed and ruffled his hair.

"Nothing," he replied almost apologetically as he reached for his phone.

XXXX

Akashi Satsuki took a good look at herself in the mirror, her long black hair was greasy, her blue eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep and her night out drinking and dancing at night clubs. She reached for the eyedrops from beside her bathroom and placed a few drops in each eye, with her eyes closed she reached for the can of dry shampoo and spray it into the roots of her hair and rubbed it in with her fingers. Opening her eyes, she took another look at herself, she placed some concealer on her dark circles and on the flaws around her face, using her finger again she gently patted it in before finally setting it with some powder.

Akashi took a third look at herself, while inside she was tired, hungover and groggy, at least she didn't look it, having just faked a good night sleep, she tried to warm up her face with a smile but it just looked forced and awkward, she shook her head and tried again, this time it look believable at least.

"Blue skies and sunshine," she said to herself before picking up her school bag from the ground. Just before she walked out the door Akashi took one last look at her reflection and fixed her bow tie. The uniform looked strange on her, or perhaps she just wasn't used to seeing it on, she was thankful that the brown tones brought some color to her pale skin. "Blue skies and sunshine," Akashi repeated to herself as she walked out the door.

On her first day at a new school and a few steps into unfamiliar territory and it seemed she was already lost, different from the usual fashion as she knew perfectly well where she was but yet had no idea how to get to her destination. Akashi found herself squinting at the map which hung above the ticket machines at the train station, she'd forgotten to put her glasses in her new school bag and some of the words were ridiculously tiny.

"A ticket is gonna cost you 150 yen," said a voice behind her, she turned around to see a tall guy with silver hair, he had those round puppy dog eyes that Akashi'd seem so many girls try to imitate with make up.

"How do you know where I'm going?" she asked. The male smiled and indicated to her clothes and then his own.

"We match for a reason," he answered, Akashi looked to see his Hyotei uniform and a small smile spread across her lips, she felt her cheeks flush from embarrassment. "You might want to hurry up," he added, he moved slightly so Akashi could look over his shoulder to see the long irritated line.

"I guess so," she agreed, embarrassed she quickly bought her ticket and left.

"Hey wait!" The Hyotei student called out to her as he hurried ran to catch up to her. "We're headed off to the same place anyway, do you need a guide?"

Akashi guarded her own expression as she took a good look at him, he seemed harmless enough, cute as well, there was a 'I want to please everyone and everybody' look in his eyes which brought the conclusion that he would have helped her regardless of any external factors.

"That sounds lovely," she replied with a smile. Instantaneously a bright smile appeared on his face.

"Great! Well, first off, you're going the wrong way, our stop is in the other direction," Akashi looked up at the signs and squinted, he was right, she looked around to see him already walking in the opposite direction, without a word she quickly followed. As she moved she felt her phone vibrate which indicated she'd received a text, suddenly it occurred to her that she could have used the internet to find out how to get to school. She checked the text message; while fighting the urge to find the nearest pole and hit her head repeatedly against it; it read:

Let's talk, come see me after school

No hello, no name, nothing, it was just like him, Akashi sighed as she hurried towards the stairs where boy with the head of silver had stopped and waited for her to catch up.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_Akashi sat alone with a book in her hands, it was part of a series which she'd recently gotten into and she was hungry for the next installment, she pushed her black hair away from her eyes when suddenly a tennis ball hit her square in the chest. She gasped in shock and clutched her chest, holding onto the tennis ball as a result, putting down her book she looked up with a frown._

_"Watch it Masaharu!" she shouted, from his grin she knew he'd missed on purpose._

_"Come on, don't be such a bore!" Niou shouted back. "Let's play! It doubles, you me against Yagyuu and Marui!" _

_"Play by yourselves," Akashi replied in a voice just as loud. "Better yet get that kid Kirihara to play or something!" Niou laughed._

_"You're kidding?" he asked. "We'd crush him and that ego of his, come on Satsuki! Let's playyyyyy! Puuri!" Niou pouted and flailed around for effect, Akashi stood up and sighed, she threw the ball back at Niou and picked up her racket from the ground. Taking off her jersey she tossed it on the grass and made her way to the court._

_"You are sooo going down," she said walking next to Yagyuu and putting an arm over his shoulder. "Bunta, go tag team with Haru, cause I'm gonna crush him."_

Akashi stood dazed on the train as she waited for it to arrive at her stop, the train was packed full of people and she was squished between an old man and the silver haired boy.

"I never quite caught your name," said puppy eyes pulling Akashi back to reality.

"Oh, that's right," she exclaimed. "I'm Akashi, Akashi Satsuki, and you?"

"Ootori Choutaro," answered Ootori. "Satsuki, that's a pretty name Akashi-san."

"Thank you Ootori-kun," said Akashi. "What year are you in?"

"Me, I'm a sophomore at Hyotei," he smiled and scratched his head self-consciously, Akashi couldn't help but notice that he had a nice smile. "But I still feel so intimidated by all my senpai." Akashi laughed.

"You're such a sweetheart, I'm sure you'll be fine," she assured him, Ootori blushed and looked away.

"T-Thank you," he replied. "What about you? Which elementary school did you attend?"

Akashi hesitated before answering. "Rikkai," she said, aware of the rivalry between the two schools. "I've just transferred."

"I've noticed," said Ootori, Akashi rolled her eyes at her own obvious statement.

"Yeah, it'd be sad if I was a third year who didn't know how to get to her own high school after 2 years," she agreed.

"Maybe you've slept the whole way," Ootori offered friendly. "One of my Senpai seems to be the sort."

"Really?"

"He sleeps through class, lunch, recess, before school, after school, dinner, you name it," said Ootori in all seriousness, Akashi smiled, however it faltered when she felt a hand touch her bottom, she clenched her teeth and fought the urge to turn around and punch the guy in the nose, it was a crowed train and she didn't want to cause a scene.

"He sounds like quite the character," she remarked casually raising one foot and slamming her heel into the guys foot before kicking him in the shin, Ootori nodded.

"My whole team gets so fed up with him," he elaborated, not hearing the man's cry of pain. "But he is extremely talented and skilled so we can't really complain, except for the captain though, he usually just sends Kabaji-kun to fetch him from wherever he's napping."

"What sport do you play?" Akashi asked, noticing the sports bag over one shoulder for the first time, she still felt the hand's presence, she reached into her pocket for her pepper spray but before she could Ootori casually manoeuvred his way around her and swapped placed, blocking the old man. She thankfully smiled which Ootori returned, Akashi was glad that he noticed, and that he realised that she didn't want to make a fuss.

"Tennis," Ootori replied, he raised the shouder that had the back strap at the same time he turned his head towards the old man and glared at him, as much as his droopy eyes would allow.

"Are you any good?" Akashi asked, resisting the urge to throw her arms in the air and shout 'Why?', it seemed her life was filled with tennis idiots.

"I-I, I guess so, but not really," he admitted shyly. "I'm a team pre-regular but there's the regulars above me and I'm practically the worst in the pre-regulars."

The thoughts, awww he's so cute, was running through her mind, he had the type of personality that made everyone want to ball him up in a blanket and protect his innocence from all the evils of the world. "That's great, you're a second year, you have plenty of time to improve," she said encouragingly.

"Well, I hope I'll be a regular when I'm in my third year," Ootori admitted his cheeks flushed. "Maybe you can cheer me on then."

"I'd love to, but I'll you'll have to tell me when the tournaments are on since I'll have graduated by then," she replied with a regretful face.

"Graduated? Aren't you a freshman?" asked a stunned Ootori. Akashi shook her head.

"Not at all," she answered. "I'm a senior."

"So you really are a senior who has no idea how to get to school? Did you just move?" he asked, already offering her an excuse before she'd even opened her mouth. Akashi laughed.

"No, I just transfered this year."

"How?" asked Ootori, his surprise was not unexpected, rarely did Hyotei or any school accept new students in their senior year.

"Good grades, family connections," she answered vaguely.

"So your older than me?" questioned Ootori, taking a good look at his new senpai.

"I guess," said Akashi. "But don't call me senpai or I'll feel old."

"B-But-"

"Don't call me senpai," she insisted with a smile, but there was a cold knife edge to her voice.

"Of course not Akashi-san," Ootori assured her, Akashi smiled brightly.

"Great."

XXXX

Niou toyed with his phone; there were no new messages or missed calls; sitting alone in an empty classroom, he hadn't seen Akashi during break, nor did she come find him once. Did she take his words to heart and was truly trying to avoid him at all costs, Niou ruffled his hair in frustration, he'd said his words out of anger but did he really mean them? He found himself extremely confused, he was still angry, still hurt, but he missed her, he missed talking to her, pulling pranks with her, listening to her, he even missed the way she laughed. Her voice always had a hard edge to it, but whenever she laughed it completely vanished. Niou had known Akashi for years and even then not once did she truly let her guard down, now that he thought about it, did he ever really know her? Did he ever truly know what she was capable of? He couldn't even begin to imagine.

However looking down at the wallpaper of his mobile and seeing her smiling face next to his, seeing her blue eyes, anger grew within him, remember what she'd done, it made him hate her.

"Niou-kun." Niou looked up to see Yagyuu standing outside the classroom. "What are you doing, club activities are about to start."

"Oh, yeah, I'm coming," Niou replied, he stood up and picked up his bag, he looked at the wallpaper, his jaw tightened as he pressed the delete button, the photo vanished. He took a deep breath and placed his mobile back into his pocket. "Let's go," he said walking out of the classroom.

Now that Niou was a senior his training regime was even more strict than the year before; it'd already doubled when he first joined the regulars at the end of last year; and once again Niou's routine had almost double, when it was time it was for them to go home, he was completely wiped.

"Niou-kun," said Yanagi Renji who was the club treasurer. Niou sat up from lying on the ground exhausted along side most of the other regulars and club members. "Someone's looking for you."

XXXX

Akashi fiddled with the silver locket around her neck, it was a habit she'd recently developed, lost in thought her hands always seemed to reach for something that was familiar. The locket was white gold and covered in diamonds which were arranged in a floral pattern and dangled from her neck from a delicate chain. Akashi had brought the locket herself as a gift, telling them that it was sterling silver and rhinestones so that the person would accept, now that she was gone, the locket had founds its way back to her possession. There was a matching key that opened the locket, Akashi had brought them as part of a set and given them both together as one gift, recently she had gone searching for it but to no avail.

"Akashi-san," said a voice catching her attention, Akashi pulled herself away from her thoughts and looked up to see a male student with tanned skin, round glasses and blue tinted hair.

"Yes?" she asked looking away from the classroom window, they were already at the end of her first day, it'd gone by fairly uneventfully, she'd greeted the class, many were curious to how and why she transferred. Akashi was invited to lunch by a few students both male and female but she'd politely turned them all down and ate lunch by herself, she was there for her own reasons, not to satisfy their curiosity.

"I'm Oshitari Yuushi," he said in a thick accent, pulling up a chair beside her desk he sat down. "The class president, I'm sorry it took me so long to greet you, I was caught up in some business during lunch."

"Oh, I'm Akashi Satsuki," Akashi replied, reaching out and shaking his hand. "But you already knew that," she smiled shyly.

"I did," there was humor in his voice which she liked. "How are you settling in? I noticed you sitting by yourself, do you need any help? Any questions regarding Hyotei?"

So he's just doing his class duties instead of being nice or curious, thought Akashi. She was more relieved than anything else, this way he wouldn't ask her questions because he didn't really care. "I'm great," she answered. "Lunch was, I guess I was just nervous, so I sat alone," she lied.

"Well, if you wish there is a student council lunch meeting tomorrow, most of the students here have been together since kindergarden. I myself enrolled in high school so I know what it's like to be the outsider, maybe you'd like to come and meet a few other seniors," Oshitari offered. Akashi smiled.

"That sounds great," she replied, as long as she remained alone she stood out, standing out meant she was easier to find and that was the last thing she needed. "Actually, do you mind helping me with one thing?"

"Sure."

"I'm kinda looking for someone and I'm not sure when to start my search," Akashi explained.

"Is it a student?"

"No, a teacher, his name is Sakaki Taro, he teaches music, do you know where I might find him?" Akashi asked, he smiled in response and replied.

"I think so."

Oshitari lead Akashi across the school grounds, leaving her dumbfounded by the sheer size of the campus, it were perhaps double the size of Rikkai and the facilities were all touch notch from what she saw. Once they passed the music centre they entered a clearing, looking around she saw almost a dozen tennis courts, beyond that was a large oval and other sport grounds surrounded them.

"Of course," Akashi said to herself, her life seemed to be filled with tennis idiots.

"He's over there," Oshitari said pointing to a figure sitting underneath a tree on a bench.

"Thank you," Akashi replied making her way towards him, she took a deep breath in, uncertain on what to say, however he was the one who had texted her telling her to meet. Sakaki was dressed in a deep brown suit, she smiled, some things never changed, his eyes were scanning the hundreds of students playing tennis when they stopped on her.

"Satsuki," he said, there was no surprise in his voice.

"Hello Uncle."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Sakaki looked away from the club members who were training to see a female Hyotei student walk towards him, he almost didn't recognise her, she'd grown out her hair and gotten thinner and paler in the time they hadn't seen each other. She looked like she'd recently been ill and hadn't gotten a good night sleep in a long time, she was wearing makeup to hide this, it was subtle but he could tell, at first glance she looked like any other student, but Sakaki could see the hollowness in her eyes.

"Satsuki," he said her name in greeting.

"Hello Uncle," even her voice had a hard edge, it was always there but recently it seemed sharper. "What do you want?" she asked coldly.

"Is this how you greet family?"

"Yes," she answered simply. "It's how I greet mine," but she smiled, it brought warmth to her face and he could see that beautiful little girl that used to cling to him whenever he visited. "But you're an exception," she made her way towards him and hugged him before kissing him on the cheek. "Hello Uncle," she said again, this time it sounded genuine and warm.

"Hello my dear," Sakaki replied, embracing her with one arm and kissing her on the forehead. "How are you?" he asked as they seperated, he shifted along the bench to allow her to sit down beside him.

"I've been better," she answered sitting down and wrapping an arm around his elbow. Sakaki however pulled away.

"You need to be careful," he said in reply to her hurt expression. "If it becomes known we're related." Akashi sighed as she subtly shifted away from him.

"I know," she answered.

"How are you handling things?" Sakaki asked again, Akashi looked away.

"As well as anyone would I guess," she said pushing her hair back. "I just changed schools, moved houses and currently spend my days looking over my shoulder." Strangely enough, Sakaki couldn't hear any bitterness in her words, just resigned exhaustion.

"I'm sorry," Sakaki answered. Akashi quickly looked at him.

"Don't be, it's not your fault," she assured him. "You've helped me more than anyone else, if it weren't for you, he'd have found me by now. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm safer at Hyotei than anywhere else, he'll never look for me here, you were right. Rather than changing names or flying overseas, he already knows my resources, I've left trails in China, England, America and Australia, with the whole world to look, he won't think of checking his own backyard."

"What makes you so certain?" Sakaki asked.

"Because I wouldn't think to look here," she answered. "And I've been told I'm just like him."

"You're not like him," Sakaki interjected, Akashi looked at him with a pitying smile.

"I've been told otherwise," she said. "I've known him my whole life uncle, you think some of those traits haven't rubbed off on me? I've certainly seen them."

"You're nothing like him," Sakaki insisted. Akashi looked down with a smile.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"What do you intend to do?" Sakaki asked. "As you've said, Hyotei is a safer place than any for you to be, even your new home, perhaps you should stay here as long as possible then? The campus doesn't close until 9pm and opens every day at 6am."

"I'm sure you have a suggestion," Akashi said with a knowing look.

"I do actually, as you can see," Sakaki waved his hand at the vast number of tennis club members around them. "Hyotei's tennis club has over 250 members, we're expecting even more to join as it is the start of the new year, although not many will stay. You were the manager at Rikkai, perhaps you'd like to help me here?"

"I was a manager yes, but Rikkai only had 50 members, you're asking me to manage quadruple that."

"Not all of them," Sakaki replied. "Teach the basics to the first years, over see the pre-regulars and sub-regulars, and-"

"Help you with paperwork?" Akashi finished for him with a smile which Sakaki returned.

"Well if you're offering," he said. Akashi laughed lightly.

"That sounds better then my plan at least."

"Which is?"

"Spend my days at the library."

"I see nothing wrong with surrounding yourself with books."

"I was thinking along another route," Akashi admitted. "Sleep." Sakaki smiled as he suppressed a laugh. "When do I start?" Sakaki reached beside him for the pile of folders and handed them to Akashi.

"How about right now?"

XXXX

Niou made his way towards the club changing room, there were two section, the larger area was where most of the club members kept their items and changed for club activities while the smaller one was exclusively for regular members, the showers there also had first dibs on the hot water. Outside Sanada Genichiro was waiting for him, dressed in the yellow Rikkai club uniform, his cap casted a shadow over his face, making him seem almost as stern as he truly was and older.

"You wanted to see me?" Niou asked him. Sanada turned his head to look at him.

"Have you seen Akashi-san at all?" Sanada question, Niou frowned as he answered.

"I don't see how it's any of your business," he replied. Sanada help up a folded piece of paper.

"I received this from Yukimura today, it's a letter of resignation from Akashi-san," he said. "Apparently she'd given it to him at the end of last year."

"So she quit the club, so what?"

"I asked Yagyuu today and he said that Akashi-san wasn't in class today, in fact he check the whole student role and it seems she's not in any class at all, do you know anything about this?" Niou's frown turned to surprise, he wondered why he hadn't even caught a glimpse of her anywhere.

"She transferred?" Sanada nodded. "Where?"

"I don't know," he replied handing the letter to Niou. "That's why I was asking you." With that Sanada left. Niou looked at the letter in his hand, he recognised the hand writing right away, there was no doubt Akashi wrote it, turning it over, what he saw made him worry, she used to always sign her name with a heart, it was something he used to always make fun of. This time, there was no love heart.

XXXX

Akashi's introduction into the tennis club was anything but welcoming, many of the older students looked upon her with suspicion, as she stood in front of them beside Sakaki, the only friendly faces she saw were Ootori and Oshitari's, both of whom had given her a welcoming smile.

"Anything you'd like to say?" Sakaki asked her midway through his speech, catching her attention. Akashi looked around at the group of males consisting of over 250 tennis club members.

"Hello," she said with a smile, she kept her voice neutral and her eyes cold. "It's nice to meet you all, and my goodness there is alot of you, on last count 265?" She looked to Sakaki for confirmation, who nodded. "That's a lot of you," she said, her tone mockingly surprised. "Too many," she added casually. "Don't you think Kantoku?" Sakaki surveyed her cautiously, this wasn't something they'd previously discussed.

"Perhaps," he said cautiously. Akashi smiled broadly.

"Maybe we should cut the numbers down a size? I don't see any point in having more than double digits." There were gasps and murmurs within the crowd.

"Perhaps," Sakaki repeated, he looked at his nieces and instantly saw her plan, if they were to ever take her seriously, they needed to respect her, implementing fear was the first step.

"Oh well, it's a topic for a later date," Akashi said almost brushing of her previous statement. "If there is anything you need to know about me," Akashi's eyes scanned the club members, feeding off their fear and insecurities. "It's that I don't mess around, you follow my orders and do as I say." Her voice sent shivers down their spine, suddenly she smiled brightly and added. "As long as you do those two things we'll get along just fine."

XXXX

"Who does that bitch think she is?" Mukahi Gakuto demanded as he pulled his shirt over his head; ruffling his maroon hair; and shoved it into his locker. "Follow my orders, do as I say, what are we her pets?" Oshitari laughed at his double's partner's outburst while Mukahi put on his school shirt.

"She sure was confident," he said in response. "Don't mind her Gakuto, like Kantouku said, she'll be in charge of the pre and sub regulars, so she'll be out of your hairs."

"Where did she come from?" Shishido Ryo asked, brushing his long brown hair. "I don't ever remember seeing her around campus."

"She just transferred into my class," Oshitari replied.

"Your class? So she's smart," commented Taki as he looked in the mirror to check his part. "I think I've seen her face before, at the Kantou tennis tournament last year."

"How would you have remembered her?" Shishido questioned as he tied his hair.

"He wasn't looking at just at her face," Mukahi remarked with a snicker. "Were you?"

"Shut it," Taki replied. "My point is that I remember seeing her last year, sitting on one of the coach's bench during a match."

"Was she recruited?" Oshitari asked. "Even though she has excellent grades she's still a third year student, transfers that late are practically unheard of."

"Probably," said Taki. "Since she was sitting with Rikkai." All of the other regulars froze.

"Is that true?" asked a voice.

"Yeah, I remember thinking why was such a hot chick was with that sour puss Sanada-" Taki cut himself off when he turned and saw that it was Atobe Keigo, the tennis club captain, asking the question. "She was wearing the yellow jersey and everything."

"So the coach scouted her then?" commented Oshitari fixing his brown tie while Mukahi stuggled with the buttons of his shirt. "The first person she went looking for when she got here was Sakaki-kantouku."

"Maybe," Mukahi said while he flipping up his collar to put on his tie. "Why would she come here if she was with Rikk-" he gulped when he saw Atobe glare at him. "I mean, you know, Rikkai has won the nationals for the past 2 years now, it makes no sense for her to transfer."

"No," Atobe walked across the room to his couch and sat down. "What doesn't make sense is if she was scounted, why would she transfer anyway?"

"What?" asked Oshitari, Atobe looked up at him.

"Think about it, if Rikkai suddenly approached you one day for you to join them would you?"

"No," replied Oshitari.

"Why? They're the running national champions."

"I just wouldn't, because I...Oh!"

"Exactly." Atobe and Oshitari both frowned in thought.

"Are we missing something?" asked Mukahi, meeting Taki and Shishido's eyes.

"Probably."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Akashi rubbed her eyes gently and yawned, it was late and the sky was dark, alone in Sakaki's office located in the music centre, she had spent the last few hours sorting through the application forms to the Hyotei tennis club, majority of them were first year students with the occasional second year, she'd sorted them into two groups, one consisted of applicants with past tennis experience while the other consisted of complete newbies, from there she divided the students based on past record, height and predicted tennis play styles.

The general policy and one of the reasons for the hundreds of members was that if you wanted to join the club, you could, but if you wanted to play in a match, then you needed to make your way up the food chain first. At the very top were the regulars, there were 8 of them and until the Kantou tournament at any one time only 3 of them actually played in any official match, the rest of the team consisted of sub and pre regulars. The pre-regulars were second, whenever a regular was dropped it was from this group that Sakaki chose their replacement, again there were 8 of them, however their position wasn't exactly safe either as 8 sub-regulars waited to take their place. While officially there were hundreds of members, in reality only a selection of around 30 actually played in a match, the rest served no greater purpose than being cheerleaders.

This system seemed to perfectly reflect the life lessons from Akashi's own childhood, even at Rikkai, victory was absolute, second was no better than last. However regardless of skill, Sakaki wanted her to watch every single new recruit and tell him of any who had potential, for many of them this was their only chance for exposure and she almost felt guilty that now, instead of the actual coach, they had to prove themselves to her instead, however she had confidence in her ability to judge people. As she stretched while lying on the large couch in Sakaki's office she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in," Akashi said not looking at who it was.

"You seem to be working hard," commented a familiar voice, with a frown Akashi sat up to see the captain Atobe Keigo looking down at her.

"It's nice to meet you too," Akashi replied getting up, she recognised him from the years before, not only as a tremendously talented tennis player but a tremendous pain in the arse. Akashi covered a yawned and looked at her watch, it was 7pm. "What are you still doing here?" she asked, Atobe shrugged, his attention focused on the piles of folders Akashi had just spent several hours organising and sorting.

"I was practicing," he answered simply. While Akashi had never actually spoken to Atobe she'd heard many things about him from Sanada, amoung the many complaints there was one compliment in that while naturally talented, Atobe worked and trained hard, and while Sanada would never admit it, she knew he respected that quality.

"Is there anyone else still here?" Akashi questioned watching while Atobe read through her work.

"A few," he said, Akashi's eyebrow finched, while he wasn't being out rightly rude, his lack of interest somehow rubbed her the wrong way.

"I see," she replied eyeing his suspiciously.

"Did you do all of this?" This time it was Atobe asking the questions, he'd sat down and was reading what she'd written carefully.

"Yes," since he was using so few words she decided to do the same.

"It's quite detailed," Atobe commented, somehow his surprise pissed her off as well.

"Thank you." Atobe either didn't notice or ignored the heavy sarcasm in her voice, his attention elsewhere. Atobe casually flipped through all the piles, however when he reached for the last one, which was in a blue folder instead of a vanilla one like the others, Akashi attempted to grab before he could get to it, she was a step too late.

"What's this?" he asked almost triumphantly, there was a smirk on his face as he started to read, however it quickly faltered as he read it's content, Akashi had not only analysed the new recruits but the regulars as well. "When did you gather all of this?" he asked as he read his own profile first.

"Give it," said Akashi snatching the file away from him. "It's not finished," she added as she started to pick up the files from the table.

"There seemed to be quite a bit in there," Atobe commented while she locked the files in a filing cabinet. "What were the words you used? 'Nacisisstic'? 'Arrogant'? 'Talented'? 'Handsome'?" Akashi laughed.

"I don't remember that last one," she said as she tucked the cabinet key in her pocket.

"Well, it should be," Atobe said with such confidence that Akashi had nothing to say in response. "Such important things should only contain the truth after all," he added with an arrogant smirk.

"Piss off," Akashi said in response triggering a laugh.

"Aren't you an angel?" Atobe carefully eyed her. "Or is there something eye behind those pretty sapphire eyes?" Akashi's expression tightened.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, keeping her voice neutral.

"What I mean is," Atobe stood up and walked towards her, he stood so close she couldn't help but take note of his height and build, Akashi was quite tall herself and rarely found her towered by anyone, however he had almost half a head on her, his build was sturdy but leaner than Sanada's, if either knew she drew the comparison she was certain they wouldn't be happy. "What are you doing here?" Akashi stood her ground and looked him in the eye, she didn't back off and instead move closer, he was trying to intimidate her and she wasn't going to let him.

"What do you mean?" she asked again, this time with a small smile.

"What I mean is what is the former manager of Rikkai doing here?" Akashi didn't flinch but Atobe noticed he'd caught hold of something.

"What do you think?" she asked in response.

"Are you a spy?" Atobe continued. "No, neither Sanada nor Yukimura would do that, I doubt even Yanagi would send the manager undercover for information, so why are you here?"

"I transfer schools, that why," Akashi answered with wide eyes and a pout. "What makes you think differently?"

"Something about you seems off," Atobe replied simply. "Is it that I don't trust you because you're a stranger? Or are you hiding something?" Akashi tilted her head to the side.

"What could I be hiding?" she asked innocently. Atobe frowned.

"Who knows," Atobe backed off and made his way to the door. "But whatever it is, I'll find it. See you tomorrow then Manager-san, from what I just saw, looks like the coach didn't just pick any girl off the street." Akashi's eyes flared with anger, however before she could say anything Atobe had already left.

"Arrogant jerk," she muttered under her breath, however what he said bothered her, she needed to make an effort to cuddle up to him, the last thing she needed was the son of Atobe group to go digging through her dirty laundry. Akashi sighed and ruffled her hair, she needed a plan.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Crap, crap, I'm late," Akashi said to herself as she raced out the door, she ran as fast as she could to the train station and only just managed to get on the train to school, she checked her watch and smiled, she'd make it just in time.

"Akashi-san?" said a familiar voice, Akashi looked up to see a confused Ootori looking down at her.

"Good morning," Akashi replied with a small smile.

"Why are you in such a rush? Club activities don't start for another hour. Oh, good morning," he added with a smile.

"Un-I mean the coach wanted to see me before club activities, and I forgot to set my alarm," she admitted, Akashi ran her finger through her hair a few times and tied it up, she hadn't had time to brush it that morning.

"Did you always wear glasses?"

"Oh!" Quickly Akashi reached and took off her oval rimmless glasses. "Yeah, I'm short sighted," she explained rummaging through her back she pulled out a bright blue glasses case and put them inside.

"They make you look smart," Ootori commented before realising what he was implying. "No, I mean, they made you look smarter, not that you looked dumb, but I-" Akashi laughed and shook her head.

"Its fine, I get what you were trying to say," she replied. Ootori did a small sigh of relief. "Why are you so early?"

"I wanted to get in a bit more practice this morning," he answered simply. Akashi smiled at his single minded focus.

"That's great," she said. "If only everyone in the club was like you." Ootori quickly shook his head.

"Atobe-san is always the first to start training and the last to stop, even if he leaves early he goes to his family gym and trains there," he said coming to his team mate's defence. "Oshitari-san and Kabaji-kun also work extremely hard."

"I never said they didn't," Akashi pointed out causing Ootori to blush.

"N-No, that's not-" however her laughter cut him off.

"I'm just teasing you," she said.

"Oh, I see, that's good," Ootori ruffled his hair and looked down. "I'm, well, how was you first day?"

"It was okay, classes are the same everywhere," Akashi replied. "New manager though, that was...eventful."

"I'm sure you'll do great," Ootori assured her, he opened his mouth to say something else but cut himself off.

"What is it," Akashi encouraged.

"Well, a few of the other members were gossiping, they said you were a spy for Rikkai and that you were here to ruin the club, and not that I believe it's true, I mean if you were a spy why would you so easily have told me you went to Rikkai, but it's just, I heard a few of the other sub-regulars plan a..." he paused to think of the right word. "Welcoming for you?" Akashi's eyes tightened, Ootori was clearly nervous and worried for her, hazing was something she expected and she already had a plan on how to deal with it.

"Thanks for the heads up," she said, there was an awkward silence.

"I saw the timetable you put up for the week," Ootori said suddenly, as if trying to break the mood. "Looks like I'll be in your care tomorrow."

"How? I put that up last night," Akashi remarked, honestly surprised. "What time did you leave yesterday?"

"Hmm," Ootori thought for a moment. "7:30 I guess," he answered. "I actually saw you leave yesterday, but you seemed preoccupied and I didn't want to bother you."

"You'd never be a bother," Akashi assured him. "Do you always leave at that time."

"Yeah," Ootori laughed nervously. "What about you though, it's not safe for a girl to walk alone at night."

"I'll be fine," said Akashi. "I'm used to it."

"I don't think that's a good thing." Akashi laughed lightly.

"Are you offering to escort me home?"

"Why not?"

XXXX

"When I call out your name come forward!" Akashi shouted to the group of freshman students. She was in a foul mood, she had hurried to school that morning when Sakaki said that they had something important to discuss, it turned out to be no more than a conference meeting with the coaches and captains of the other sport teams at Hyotei, she also noticed that she was the only manager present. "What was the point in me being there?" she'd asked him when it was over.

"Nothing really," Sakaki admitted. "I thought you should familiarise yourself with the other club leaders in all." Akashi wanted to strangle him, even more so when Atobe had added.

"Oi this is the basics Manager-san, can't even do this much?" She was glad that she got to shout and yell to her heart's content at the new recruits.

"Imai Hatsuharu, Sakurano Souichirou, step forward!" she called, a tall male with dark hair and glasses and a frail looking blonde stepped forward. "You two, court A. Sohma Akatsu, Inoe Len, step forward!" This time it was a redhead and polite looking one. "Court B!"

XXXX

Niou washed his hands and shook them dry, he never bothered with the hand driers, he'd always give up and wipe them on his pants anyway, as he did so he caught his reflection in the mirror, his brown roots were becoming more apparent.

_"Damn it, do you have to be laughing at a time of this?" Niou demanded as he flinched at the burning pain._

_"I think I'm getting high on the fumes, besides you wanted this," Akashi pointed out. "I'm just doing as you demand milord," she added in a pompous accent._

_"Doesn't give you a right to laugh," Niou angrily pointed out._

_"Oh I think it does," she answered with a smile. "You should see your face, also, you smell, I feel light headed."_

_"Shut up!" Although Niou had to admit that the smell was getting to him as well._

_"Why the sudden urge to turn into a silver haired old man," Akashi asked as she cleaned some of the bleaching agent away from his skin at the roots of his hair, it was now a strange yellow, she'd prepared some light blue dye to make the hair colour more grey and silvery. _

_"Felt like it," Niou replied, his eyes were closed and his head hover over the bath tube while his neck rested on the ceramic edge. Akashi was slowing removing the product from his hair before __rinsing and washing his hair._

_"Stage 1 compete!" she remarked triumphantly. "Now all we have to do to is dry it, dye it blue and your hair will be the colour of untarnished silver!"_

_"Yay!" Niou replied unenthusiastically, he lazily shook his fists like rattles at eye level to show his excitement._

_"Oh, don't give me that, when your mom sees you tomorrow she'll be pissing herself laughing, we should get you a suit and roses for effect." Niou smiled at the idea._

_"And chocolates," he added._

_"And chocolates," Akashi echoed with a nod. "Or an empty red heart shaped box and we eat them ourselves." Niou smiled._

_"Great idea."_

Niou slammed his palm against the mirror covering his own reflection. "Fuck her..."

XXXX

The sudden sound of the school lunch bell woke Akashi and brought her attention back to reality.

"-remember assignments are due in next week, don't leave it until the last minute," she managed to hear as the teacher left.

"You ready?" asked Oshitari walking up to her. Akashi took off her glasses and looked at him confused.

"What?" she asked still half asleep. Oshitari smiled.

"Meeting, student council, sport club leader...remember?"

"Not at all," she answered honestly, she paused and thought for a moment. "Wait... Oh yeah! Yes, I do." Oshitari laughed at her slow reaction time.

"You feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, just tired."

"Well liven up, let's go."

"Yay!" Akashi replied unenthusiastically, she lazily shook her fists like rattles at eye level to show her excitement.

The student leaders meeting felt like a blast from the past, she couldn't help but remember the parties she was forced to attend when she was younger, people putting on a mask, pretending to smile and laugh to get what they wanted, they acted nice because they couldn't afford not to. Adults talked down to her, some were nice, others gave her condescending looks, some were down right rude to her, but they were all the same, they were talking to her because they wanted something. Something from her, from her family, from her father. The worse was Atobe Keigo, he seemed to have a compulsion to make his presence known where ever he went, Akashi always felt that anonymity was a powerful weapon, needless to say the two had an exchanging of words that only seemed pleasant on the outside.

"Just smile and look pretty," Oshitari said at some point, noticing her fatigue and boredom. "I'll carry you through the rest." Akashi smiled thankfully.

"Thanks," she replied, she remembered how Niou used to say something similar to her.

_"You need not serve any function," Niou said to her one day right before a practice match with another school. "Just sit there and look pretty, Sanada was scaring the shit out of the other team so Yukimura made him sit in the back."_

_"Sit here and look pretty," she echoed. "Got it!" She tilted her head to the side and looked at him. __"How do I do that?" _

_Niou sighed and rolled his eyes, he sat down on the coaches bench beside her. "Watch me," he told her. Suddenly he sat up straighter, crossed his legs and placed his hands in his lap. "Like this," he demonstrated. "Chin down, hands in your lap, knees together and back straight."_

_"That's the only straight thing about you right now."_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Ya Atobe, I don't get it, why don't you like the new girl?" Oshitari asked as he and the captain were getting changed for club activities.

"What makes you say that?"

"At the Leader's lunch, the hell was up with you?"

"I was my usual self." Oshitari snorted at this.

"Heh! Your usual self, well yeah you were, but you're never outrightly rude or mean to any particular person, you were a complete jerk, seriously, I have to give Akashi-san praise for putting up with it the way she did."

Atobe slipped his shirt over his shoulders and sat down, he had a small frown on his expression. "Something about her, I guess. She's..."

"Pretty cute," Oshitari finished for him as he looked at his reflection and fixed his glasses. "She's what? From what I've seen she's hard working, quick, she's got a nice laugh and from what I've heard despite fear and regal respect, everyone in the club loves her. I'm glad, I heard that there was some initial bad blood but it seems to have died down pretty quickly."

"That's exactly it though," said Atobe. "Everyone likes her, she's trying so hard to be liked, too hard."

"What's wrong with being liked, if you shut that mouth of yours every once in a-"

"No, that's not all, she's...cold."

"Cold?"

"I don't know how to explain it," Atobe sighed and ruffled his hair. "Especially today, there was this, feeling to her, she was just distant, isolated, she seems... frozen." Oshitari shrugged.

"She sounds like you," he remarked. "She's third year student, I've seen her during breaks, she's uncomfortable here especially in groups. If I weren't dragging her to the roof with me and Gakuto, I know she'd rather eat lunch alone."

"So?"

"I'm saying, everybody else's been together for 3 years if not more, I know what its like to be the new kid and it's not fun." Oshtari picked up his racquet and closed his locker. "Don't make things harder than they already are for her. I'm heading off, need me to wait?"

"Nah, go ahead." Atobe pondered alone at Oshitari's words. He was right, something about her reminded him of himself, but it was that exact aspect that made him so distrustful of her, true she was well like, but everything about her made him think of snow and ice, and the face she showed others was just a reflection. Was he too harsh with her right off the bat? She was lying about something, he knew it in his bones, but what? "She is pretty cute," he admitted to himself.

XXXX

"Atobe-kun doesn't seem to like me," said Akashi as she paced back and forth in Sakaki's room. "WHy doesn't he like me? Look at me! I'm so loveable, why doesn't he like me?"

"What does it matter," her uncle replied from behind his desk.

"He doesn't like me, and knowing his type he'll snoop until he finds something to justify it. I don't need the son of Atobe group to go digging for skeletons."

"Atobe-kun doesn't like you because he doesn't trust you, he has good instincts, he's right not to trust you."

"Thanks for that," Akashi replied sarcastically, sudden she stopped her pacing. "He doesn't trust me because his instincts tell him I'm lying, right." Sakaki frowned in concern at his niece, Akashi had a broad grin she walked towards him, she rested both hands on his desk.

"Where are you going with this?"

"I'll just give him a lie to uncover," she told him.

XXXX

"Good work everyone!" Akashi shouted at the end of of another day's training. "Shower and shove off!" The exhausted tennis players managed a feeble "Yes" before stumbling to the locker rooms. As she tidied up her stuff Akashi noticed someone coming towards her and looked up to see Ootori.

"Hey, you staying late?" he asked. "Cause I was thinking, there's-" He was cut off by the sound of Akashi dropping all her files onto the group.

"Crap," she cursed a little to late, she bent down and began picking them up. Ootori went to help, unable to resist he quickly read bits and pieces as he was picking the papers up. A few names stood out, Hiyoshi Wakashi, Shishido Ryo, Taki Haginosuke and his own, Shishido and Taki were both regulars while the rest were pre-regulars, was there going to be a change soon?

"Here you go," Ootori said handing Akashi the remaining files. "You seem to have your hands full." Akashi laughed lightly as she stood up.

"Understatement, the district and prefectural tournaments is around the corner and I have to submit the rotation list for the whole thing tomorrow, I'm only halfway done, he wants at least 3 pre-regulars during every match and it is nearly impossible to find a good doubles combination, I'm tempted to just throw those matches and focus on singles but I know the coach wouldn't be too happy about that..."

"We can be a bit uncooperative," Ootori admitted ruefully, the two had started to make their way to Sakaki's office in the music wing.

"You boys are nightmares," Akashi replied, she looked tired.

"I promise to do my best to get along with my partner, if I'm playing doubles, if I'm playing at all, not that I'm trying to make-"

"Ootori-kun," Akashi interrupted just before climbing the front steps of the music wing. "Go take a shower and head home," she said with a smile. "I'm gonna be later than usual so you better go home without me."

"O-Oh! Are you sure?"

"Yeah, the coach offered to flip the bill for a taxi if I'm kept back to late, so I think I'll do that tonight."

"Okay, see you," Ootori waved as he began to back away.

"Bye, I'd wave but I can't," Akashi replied. Ootori laughed and hurried off to the locker room. "As if he'd do that," Akashi muttered to herself, having said it to not make Ootori worry. Soon after climbing the stairs to the third floor of the music building, Akashi found herself in a predicament, with the heavy folders in her arms, she couldn't open the office door, the keys were in her pocket and unlike the front entrance it wasn't automatic.

"Need help," asked a familiar voice. Akashi held in a sigh as she turned to see Atobe.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I needed to talk to the coach," he replied.

"He's still at the courts, what do you want?" she asked again. Atobe smiled having been caught in a lie.

"I saw you leave and figure you'd need help right about now," he answered.

"So you followed me," Akashi's expression clearly showed she didn't like to ask for help causing Atobe's smile to widen.

"Let's not put it that way," Atobe replied. Akashi took a good look at him, if he'd been following her then he'd had seen her snail climb up the stairs.

"Why couldn't you have offered to help me carry these up those stairs?" Atobe shrugged.

"You look like you had it handled," he answered. There was a moment silence. "You need help?" he offered, clearly happy he'd caught her in a blind. Akashi smiled sweetly and dropped the folders on Atobe foot. As he gasped and hoped around in pain she took the keys from her pocket and opened the door. She then turned around, picked up the folders and smiled at the tennis captain.

"Thanks for your help," she said before walking into the office and slamming the door on him with her foot.

"She doesn't seem to like me," Atobe commented.

XXXX

Akashi took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes and yawned, she was tired, it was late and she still had 2 rounds to complete, she could have easily just randomly paired the club members but her pride wouldn't let her, she wanted a clean sweep during their, her, first tournament. There was a knock at the door. "Come in," she said not looking up, she assumed she knew who it was. "Ootori-kun, what are you still doing here? I thought I-"

"Not Ootori," Akashi look up to see Atobe carrying 2 plastic bags. "You and that Ootori get along well, don't you?"

"We take the same route to school, what do you want?" she asked him.

"So direct," Atobe tutted. "I felt like, well Oshitari grilled me, that I owe you an apology..." he let the words trail off.

"For what? I was the one who slammed a few dozen folders on your foot."

"I though so too, but, I've been rude to you since you've gotten here, and you've just reciprocated those feelings, so I'm sorry," said Atobe, there was something awkward about him in that moment, clearly he didn't like to apologise or admit that he was wrong.

"Thank you," Akashi replied just as awkwardly. "What's in the bag?" she asked.

"Well," Atobe sat down beside her and pushed some of the papers aside to put the bags down. "I got you dinner, I didn't know what you'd like but I noticed you eating pizza for lunch at the meeting so I figured you'd like italian food, so I got you-" he reached into the bag and pulled out two foil containers with a paper lid. "meatball pasta."

There was a moment pause. "Thank you, I guess, but I don't eat that much," she said noting the large quantity as he was unpacking the food onto ceramic plates.

"I though I'd make it a dinner date," Atobe replied.

"Well, in that case there'd better be dessert," Akashi remarked, Atobe grinned as he pulled out a container with chocolate cake. "Red velvet?"

"You know your stuff," Atobe replied. He stood up and placed most of the food on the desk before he gave her one of the white ceramic plates with a fork and pasta.

"Tips for future dates," Akashi said as the two ate on Sakaki's couch. "Pasta on a first date, never a good idea."

"Why?" Akashi pointed to the splatter stain on her sleeve.

"I'm a messy eater," she admitted. Atobe laughed.

"Nothing I can't handle," he replied. "So, how much do you have left?" Atobe asked nudging to the papers on the table with his chin.

"A bit," Akashi replied. Atobe finished his last bite before setting his plate aside and leaning forward.

"Let me help then, what have you got?" Akashi was barely half-way through her meal, still eating she reached for the first round match-up sheet.

"Well-" she began, showing Atobe her line-up.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Niou and the rest of the members of the Rikkai tennis club stood under the shelter of the locker bay from the pouring rain, he was in his jersey and shorts but having warmed up earlier before the rain started he was barely feeling the cold.

"What now?" Marui asked poping his gum in his mouth.

"I don't know, we can't practice in this weather," Kuwahara replied, he glanced behind him and smirked, leaning towards his double's partner he whispered. "Looks like lightening's gonna strike." Marui took a quick glance over his shoulder to see a very pissed off Sanada, he turned back around with a small smile.

"Just pray it doesn't hit us," he whispered.

"What now?" Sanada asked Yanagi.

"There's no point in training in this weather, with the high probability of injury and sickness," said Yanagi.

"I suppose," Sanada reluctantly agreed. "Guess club activities are cancelled then."

"What about the indoor courts?" Niou asked, there was an anxiousness in his voice.

"They're being renovated remember? After that incident with Akaya," said Yanagi.

"There are other gyms," Niou tried again.

"Other clubs are using them," this time Sanada responded.

"Surely-"

"What's gotten into you Niou-kun?" Yagyuu asked. "Since when did you stop being happy whenever training was cancelled?"

"Now that Satsuki isn't here, there's no one to play hokey with," Marui remaked, he, Kirihara and Kuwahara all smiled.

"Leave Satsuki out of this," Niou snapped, Marui's smile quickly faded and he exchanged worried looks with his doubles partner.

"Where is Akashi-senpai anyway?" Kirihara asked, he used to frequently; very proudly and very loudly; state that she was his favourite senpai. "You'd think she'd drop by and say hello or something...I mean, I don't even know what school she transfered to, she's moved out of her place, and Niou-senpai you won't even-"

"Drop it!" Niou snapped at his kouhai. Startled Kirihara stopped talking and turned away with a small pout.

"Enough, all of you," said Sanada. "Why don't we take this chance to visit Yukimura, it's been a while since our last visit."

"Why not," Yanagi agreed, the rest of the regulars did as well.

XXXX

Yukimura sat on the roof of the hospital dressed in his pyjamas, he looked up at the sky, it looked like it was about to rain and was time for him to head inside.

"Hey," a voice made Yukimura turn around to see the former manager of his tennis club, Akashi stood there in her Hyotei uniform with a bouquet of white lilies and roses in her arms and a bag over her shoulder.

"Satsuki," Yukimura remarked walking over to hug her, she returned it, when the seperated she handed him the bouquet of roses and lilies. "Thank you," Yukimura gestured to the seat. "You want to-"

"No," Akashi quickly interrupted. "I just wanted to see how you were doing, I'm sorry I didn't visit you earlier, I didn't-"

"How would you know when you so suddenly left?" Yukimura asked coldly. Akashi looked down. "I know things with you are Niou are...tense, but still."

"He doesn't want to see me Sei," Akashi said solemly. "And I will respect that."

"I don't understand what happened? One moment we were off winning the nationals and the next you vanish! What did you do? He never-"

"It's none of your business Sei, I'm sorry."

"Maybe I can help, you two have been best friends since forever maybe-"

"There is nothing you can do," Akashi said gently, patting Yukimura's shoulder. "I should go, I just wanted to see you for myself," she took a few steps back and opened the roof door. "You better go inside, it looks like it's gonna rain."

"Satsu-" Yukimura called after her, but before he could say anything more, she was gone.

XXXX

"Yukimura looked like he was doing well," said Yanagi as he and the regulars left the hospital, he and Sanada shared an umbrella as they hid from the pouring rain.

"Yeah," Kuwahara agreed, he was squished under an umbrella with Marui and Kirihara who didn't have one. "But someone ate the cake," he glanced at his doubles partner who was feigning innocence.

"Next time have someone else hold it," Niou suggested. "What now?"

"Dinner? Remy's is just around the corner," Marui suggested. 'Remy's' was a fast food place that the regulars used to regularly frequent the year before along with their team manager, they had a booth that only just managed to fit them all.

"You just had a whole cake," Kirihara commented.

"Why not?" said Niou, the rest of the regulars all agreed except for Sanada who remained silent.

"Hey," Yanagi elbowed the vice-captain.

"Hmm?" Sanada's mind had been on the white lilies and roses they'd seen in Yukimura's room, while he'd said that they were from a relative, the smell distinctly reminded him of the former club manager Akashi Satsuki, her perfume had an extremely similar scent. "Oh! Yeah, sure," he agreed.

"Onwards to Remy's!" Marui cheered loudly. All the regulars were familiar with the route there, it'd practically been a ritual for them all to go there together as a group and eat, the food was fast and cheap, which was especially appealing to the growing boys.

"This is more spacious than I remember," Kirihara remarked as they all sat down in their usual booth. Sanada shot him a stern look, with two people gone, of course there was more room.

"I need to use the restroom, order for me," Sanada said leaving his bag behind and getting back up. As he made his way towards the restrooms he paused at the familiar scent of perfume, he stopped and turned to see Akashi leaning against the wall, she had her worried eyes on Niou. "Akashi?" he asked. She turned her head and gasped.

"Sanada," she exclaimed. The vice-captain quickly looked at his club members before moving out of their view towards Akashi.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her. He recognised her uniform, so she was attending Hyotei now, no wonder she said nothing, she'd grown taller in the time they hadn't spoken, thinner as well. Sanada could tell she hadn't slept well, she was also tried and drained despite her attempts to hide this with makeup, he could always tell.

"Dinner," she answered simply.

"So you went to see Yukimura?" Akashi looked surprised but quickly recovered.

"Yeah, I thought I'd get some food on the way home, but now..." She looked on worriedly at their usual booth.

"You don't want to see-"

"No," she quickly answered.

"I have a lot of questions-"

"Now?!" Akashi indicated around them, they were right in front of the restrooms.

"Yeah, another time then, do you, do you need some help getting out of here?" he offered uncertain, she looked at him with a grateful smile, Sanada felt his heart skip a beat.

"Please."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"I'll distract them while you sneak out," suggested Sanada.

"Good idea, except you've never been good at distractions," Akashi replied with that smile he'd seen countless times.

"Shut up," Sanada quickly replied, it was almost like old times with Niou and her ganging up on him. The last time he saw her, she wasn't smiling, she was on the ground crying her eyes out, he had no idea how to comfort her and all he could think of was a simple embrace, he just held her while she cried. Akashi seemed to be recollecting the same memory, there was a slight worried look in her eyes, as if she was concerned he would start asking those questions Kirihara had tried to before him. Sanada looked out the window to see that it was pouring again. "Do you have an umbrella?" Akashi shook her head, Sanada reached into his pocket and pulled out his own, it was still a little damp from when he'd used it earlier. "Here," he handed it to her, Akashi took it and opened it.

"Thank you," she said gratefully. "This'll work better than a distraction."

"Your faith in me is appalling," Sanada replied. Akashi laughed, he hadn't heard that laugh in a long time also.

"Well bye, thanks for your help.""

"Bye," he said simply. Akashi partially opened the umbrella pretending to prepare to go out in the rain, she used it to block her face as she passed the booth without her former teammates noticing her and hurried out the door. Once outside Akashi bumped and bounced back off someone's chest, a hand suddenly grabbed her preventing her from falling.

"Akashi-san," she looked up to see Ootori smiling down at her. "You okay? I thought we were meeting inside."

"It's packed," Akashi answered, she held the umbrella over Ootori's head, both to shield him from the rain and block his vision. "Let's go somewhere else."

"Aww I wanted to try that burger you recommended though, oh well, another time then?"

"Yeah," subtly Akashi lead Ootori away from the front door. "Where do you want to go?"

XXXX

Atobe leaned against his locker and checked his mobile, he chuckled at the text message Akashi had just sent him, Oshitari frowned at him and threw his shirt at him.

"The hell is with you?" he demanded.

"Nothing," Atobe replied throwing the shirt back.

"He's been like that for days," Mukahi added from his seat on top of the lockers.

"New spring, new friendship," Atobe replied casually. Since the impromptu dinner his relationship with Akashi had improved dramatically, they even ate lunch together now along with Oshitari, Mukahi and Kabaji.

"New love maybe," Mukahi mocked.

"Jealous?"

"Oh Akashi-san, your so funny, haha! Your hair looks good today, did you change something? Satsuki, I love you, stop talking to Oshitari and Ootori," Mukahi teased in a high pitched poor imitation of Atobe's voice.

"Stop that, that last bit didn't happen," said Atobe with a frown. "We're friends," he added with a smile.

"In that case, looks like you really do have a shot Yuushi," Mukahi smiled at his doubles partner who was smiling also.

"What?" exclaimed a surprised Atobe. "Since when?"

"Since she said hello," Mukahi answered for him.

"Her firsts words to me weren't hello," Oshitari scoffed.

"You remember what her first words to you were?" Atobe couldn't help but ask. "What were hers to me? Probably an insult."

"Me too," Mukahi added, Oshitari blushed.

"Wow, you're whipped."

"No, not if, you two seemed to get along so well I thought," said Oshtari turning a deeper and deeper shade of red.

"No, we're just friends," said Atobe.

"What he means to say is he's been friend zoned," said Mukahi.

"What?"

"Friend zone," Mukahi repeated as if it was common knowledge. "You know, when you know a girl long enough eventually all potential boyfriend interest vanishes, most of the club members have landed into that puddle."

"And who has become this friend zoned person?" Oshitari wanted to know.

"Me, Taki, Shishido; they kept talking about shampoo so he had no chance, Kabaji; did you know they started knitting together? Bunch of the pre and sub regulars and probably that Ootori as well, I don't know about him, they talk mostly out of school so I haven't seen that interaction but most likely. Atobe is about to be trapped in that friend area forever and Oshitari, you two don't interact nearly enough, so you're in the clear," Mukahi said as he counted off the males with his fingers.

"We talk," Oshitari interjected, Atobe and Mukahi both laughed. "What?"

"No, you exchange pleasantries, she tells you things and vice versa," explained Mukahi.

"I've never seen you two actually talk," Atobe agreed. Oshitari thought back to their previous interactions and sighed.

"So what do I do then?" he asked.

XXXX

Sanada checked his watch, he was early, very early, so it was no surprise that Akashi hadn't arrived yet, he felt weird sitting by himself at a fast food restaurant, there were couples all around him.

"Sanada," he turned to see Akashi, she had a slight pink flush to her cheeks and a smile, he smiled in response as he stood.

"Akashi," he greeted.

"Hey, I saw you sitting there and I thought I was late so I ran," she reached into her bag and pulled out Sanada's umbrella and handed it to him. "Thank you so much, I dried and folded it the way you like." Sanada examined it, Akashi had straightened and tucked all the little folds of the umbrella neatly before locking it into place.

"I'm surprise you remembered," he replied.

"How could I forgot," Akashi's smile widened. "You grilled us about it countless times, besides, you're such a perfectionist, I figured if I didn't you'd lecture me again."

"I'm no, I mean, I wouldn't," Sanada quickly replied. "No you, I mean, not you, I was usually lecturing Niou, you just so happened to stand beside him." Akashi laughed.

"That's because if I wasn't there to stop him he'd run away, you'd chase him, and that lecture would be even longer. I've learnt it's best if you get things off your chest quickly, if not, things boil and bubble beneath the surface and you explode," she said.

"Really? You don't know a thing about me," Sanada said defensively, although he had to admit she sounded pretty dead on. Akashi put her hand on her hip defiantly.

"Oh really? You're right handed, love shogi, chairman of the public moral committee, I don't even know what that is, you're stingy with money, like a bunch of historical crap like books and plays, but you also like the tango, you do kendo and your favourite saying is 'Tarundoru!' what did I miss?" Sanada was surprised, he never knew she paid so much attention to him.

"And I play tennis," he added, Akashi rolled her eyes.

"Of course," she said. "How could I miss that?"

"You know a lot," Sanada remarked. "I don't ever remember telling you anything."

"I pay attention you idiot," Akashi replied. "Men are simple creatures of habit. You all have you own little ticks and tricks, once I have those down, life is so much easier."

"I feel bad, you know a lot about me, and I know nothing about you," Sanada said.

"I'm hurt, are we up for some learning?" Akashi asked sarcastically.

"Why not," said Sanada seriously, surprising her. "You busy right now?"

"Not really." Sanada sat down and indicated to the seat next to him.

"Join me?"

Akashi surveyed the situation and watched Sanada's expressions, or lack there of, but he seemed serious, and hopeful even. Akashi put down her bag and sat down next to him, he smiled, she had never really taken a look at him. He was always so stern and serious, mature beyond his years, but in this moment, he just seemed like a guy.

"What do you want to know?" she asked him.

"How about, are you hungry?"

"Starved."

_A/N: I'll be starting semester end exams soon so there will be a month long hiatus, sorry _


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

It was the start of lunch, Akashi paused in front of the bulletin board of the music building, there were a whole bunch of flyers stuck on with thumb tacks, one in particular caught her eye, an advertisement for student tutors ranging from music to maths, it brought back memories.

_"I hate music!" declared a sixth grade Niou; who still had black hair; as he tossed his recorder aside, Akashi quickly caught it before it hit the concrete ground of the park. _

_"Come on, the recital's next week," Akashi said in attempt to reason with him._

_"I'll ditch, I'll say I'm sick," he replied._

_"Auntie said she wanted to see you on that stage," Akashi lied, she knew the one person he'd even consider doing such a thing for was his beloved mother._

_"Really?" Niou's eye light up and he grabbed the recorder from her hand._

_"You pathetic mommy's boy," Akashi muttered under her breath. _

_"What?"_

_"I said you're an only child with an unhealthy attachment to your mother," Akashi told Niou who was ignoring him and focusing on the music score. "Stop that, I tried to helped you with music for the past three hours now it's your turn, help me with this." She help up her maths homework for Niou to see._

_"Yeah yeah, deal's a deal..."_

"Akashi-san?" Ootori said bringing her attention back to reality. Akashi looked away from the message board. "What are you looking at?" he asked taking a step closer to the board. "You thinking of applying?"

"Hmm? No, not really, it's interesting is all," she answered simply. "Honestly I'd be a rubbish teacher, I'd throw stuff at my students." In all honestly she did, at her one and only pupil, Ootori laughed.

"I wouldn't mind it," he admitted reading the flyer. "But I don't think I'd be good enough."

"Ha!" Akashi sneered and hit his back with the hard cover book in her hand causing him to jump and almost drop his sketch book and pencil-case. "The only thing you wouldn't be able to teach is biology, you start getting teary eyes when we pass the dissected rats and other dead things on display." Ootori's jaw tightened and his lips pursed at the memory. "Ootori-san? Ootori-sensei? Sounds good," she said causing him to blush.

"N-No thanks," he replied. "I don't like the sound of that."

"What do you like then? Ootori-kun-sensei?"

"How about Choutaro?" Ootori suggested.

"For a student? That's a bit too informal don't you think?"

"No, not that, I meant you," Ootori turned a deeper shade of red. "Since we're friends..."

"Then called me Satsuki," Akashi replied her eyes had a teasing gleam to it.

"What! No, I couldn't, you're my senpai and-"

"If you want me to, no, you know what? Screw that, if you don't call me Satsuki I'm going to keep calling you Ootori-kun-sensei."

"What? But Aka-" Akashi raised an eyebrow at him. "Satsuki...san," he tensely added to the end causing her smile to turn into a sigh. She patted him on the head.

"Close enough," she said. "I guess it wouldn't be to good for my health if you started tutoring?"

"Huh?" exclaimed a confused Ootori.

"I'd worry bout you, what if one of your students tries yo take advantage of you? What if they bully you into something?" Akashi elaborated causing him to frown.

"I'm not a kid! I'm only a year younger than you."

"You're still younger."

"But-"

"No buts," Akashi cut him off. "Now come Choutaro, Oshitari wants something from me."

XXXX

Oshitari look at the list of topics Mukahi had written down for him to discuss with Akashi, he felt like an idiot for even having been given such a list, but he had no idea who to say to her, whenever she got close his mind went blank and he few back on the social etiquette classes his mother made him attend.

"What is wrong with me?" he asked himself, he took off his glasses and rubbed his nose.

"Oshitari-kun," said a all too familiar voice, causing him to jump, he quickly put his glasses back on, he didn't need them, but he felt that they completed him. Akashi's brows knitted in confusion however she kept her smile and asked. "Keigo said you wanted to see me?"

Keigo? Oshitari thoughts had that one word echo in his ears, how close had they gotten? And so soon? No, he didn't have anything to worry about, Atobe had said he had no interest in Akashi at all, but what if he was lying? Oshitari couldn't help but ponder, what if he hadn't realised his feelings before he had said that?

"Oshitari-kun?" Akashi asked in a slightly concerned voice when Oshitari didn't respond right away, she waved the book in her hand in front of his face. "Everything okay?"

"Call me Yuushi," Oshitari blurted out, he wanted to hit himself, where did that come from? "I mean, I wanted to ask you if you wanted to join my committee and if you did you'd call me Yuushi, since we'd see so much more of each other." Again the desire for self inflicted harm rose.

"You're part of the foreign exchange committee right?" Akashi asked, Oshitari nodded. "I guess there's no 'Third year transfer committee' so that's probably the closest thing."

"Y-Yeah."

"Thanks for the offer but no thank you," said Akashi gently. "Choutaro somehow talked me into the Cutural committee; the committee leader saw a picture he drew of me or something, weird kid; and Keigo kinda roped me onto the student council; probably did some back alley talking there; so as far as committees concerned, I'm good, you're a week too late to ask me, sorry."

"Oh, I see, that's too bad," Oshitari managed to say. "Maybe next time then."

"Yeah, next time," said Akashi. "I better go, if that's all, is that all?"

"Huh? Yeah, well actually, I was wondering, since club activities are finishing early today, wether or not you wanted to go watch a movie with me?" Oshitari asked, he did everything he could to sound cool and casual.

"Today? Sorry, I've made plans," Akashi replied regretfully. "What movie did you want to see?"

"The notebook," Oshitari replied, he'd already seen it last week with Mukahi. "I usually watch them with Gakuto, but he's already seen it, I've asked everyone else and they all said no," he said in an attempt to smooth things over.

"Oh, so I was the last straw?" Akashi asked in mock hurt, seeing Oshitari's startled expression she laughed. "Kidding, but I'm not really into romance movies, sorry, I better get going, Choutaro holding my place at the cafeteria."

"Yeah, bye," Oshitari responded, Akashi began to walk away when she suddenly stopped and turned around.

"Can I still call you Yuushi?" she asked.

"What?"

"You know, even though I couldn't join the foreign exchange committee, can I still call you Yuushi?" Oshitari suppressed a smile.

"Sure."

"It's truly a day to improve relationships and gain closeness with friends," a fuddled Akashi muttered to herself as she walked away.

XXXX

"Are you drawing me again?" Akashi asked as she put her book down, Ootori leaned against the tree next to hers with a sketchbook and watercolour pencils in hand. It was still lunch break, Akashi had just found a whole series of books she'd never read before but found absolutely amazing thanks to Atobe's recommendation. Her inner nerd rising to the surface, she struggled to find quiet around Atobe and Mukahi for her to read, in search of silence, she and Ootori decided to forego the usual lunch on the roof and sit outside.

"No," he replied, not satisfied she stood up and walked towards him, she wasn't entirely incorrect nor was he entirely lying, he was drawing what was in front of him where she was sitting, but was drawing the scenery around her, where she sat, he'd left blank.

"You still upset I took that drawing you did of me?" Akashi asked.

"No," but there was a hurt tone in his voice.

"Choutaro, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings but-"

"Was it bad?" Ootori suddenly questioned.

"What?"

"Was the picture bad? Is that why you didn't like it?"

"No, of course not, it's just, it's a picture of me," she said simply.

"So? I draw pictures of everyone," there was a sulkiness to his voice today. Akashi had seen his drawings of the other tennis club members, and she had to admit that they were amazing, while Ootori preferred to draw landscape, his potential as a sketch artist for the police was not to be over looked.

"I know, but," Akashi was stumped, she couldn't exactly say that she couldn't risk someone she didn't want to see the drawing if it ended up in a gallery because it was that realistic. "It's...I hate my face," she blurted out. For the first time Ootori put down his pencil and looked up.

"What?"

"I hate the way I look," she said again, it wasn't entirely untrue, she did feel she resembled a certain someone she didn't want to. "Well, no I don't hate the way I look but..." she sat down next to me. "Next to you guys...Keigo's got that look, Oshitari's handsome, Gakuto's androgynous, Shishido-kun has that glam boy feel to him, even Kabaji has a terminator hotness about him. And you, you're adorable," she said pinching Ootori's cheek. "And next to you guys, I just feel so...plain."

"What?" All anger vanished from his puppy eyes and there was only empathy and kindness, Akashi suddenly felt guilty for lying, it wasn't entirely a lie, she did feel plain next to them, but it was nothing concealer and mascara couldn't fix. "No, no, no, no, I'm sorry, I don't think your plain, I didn't even consider your feelings I'm sorry and I'm sorry if my drawing made you fell bad about yourself..."

"No," Akashi faked an understanding smile. "I'm fine, I've accepted it, really, just, ask me next time?"

"Of course," Ootori said with all seriousness. "Of course I will, I'll ask next time, I promise. I'lll try to ask..."

XXXX

The moment the last bell went off Akashi had hurried out the school gate, she didn't want to be late, but she didn't know if being too early was worse. She sat outside Remy's; their predetermined meeting spot; and pulled out her pocket mirror, she check her reflection and using her fingers she rubbed over the creasing of her concealer and cleaned up the slight build up at the corner of her eyes from her eyeliner.

"Akashi," quickly she put away her mirror and turned to face her companion.

"Hey," she said getting up, she flicked hair over her shoulder. "You're early."

"So are you," he replied. "So where are we off to first?"

"Well, I want food, I didn't get a chance to order my regular the last time we were here," Akashi answered.

"Food it is," Sanada replied with a smile.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

_"What's wrong with you?" Akashi asked as she sat down next to Niou. He was lying on the grass shielding his eyes from the sun with the sleeve of his jersey._

_"My mom walked in on me with a girl," replied the mopey Niou._

_"Eww."_

_"Yep."_

_"I take it you two haven't had the talk," Akashi made bunny ears with her fingers on the last word._

_"Nope."_

_"But she's a nurse."_

_"So?"_

_"You'd think that she's seen her fair share of naked people-"_

_"Hey, this is my mom we're talking about."_

_"Sorry," but Akashi was grinning, she gently nudged her moody friend. "Honestly, with the way you've been carrying on, I'm surprised she hasn't caught you sooner."_

_"Shut up."_

_"I mean, you've been hooking up with everyone everywhere, the locker room, the classrooms, behind the school-"_

_"Shut up!" Niou repeated._

_"Your mom had you didn't she? I'm sure she regretted it the moment you clawed your way out but to have a baby she'd need to get __pregnant and in order to do so she'd-"_

_"Enough!"_

_"I mean she'd not the Virgin Mary, she'd had to-"_

_"Hey!" Niou quickly sat up and glared at his best friend who smiled sweetly at him. "She's my mom, as far as I'm concerned she and my dad were friends and they held each other's hands too tight."_

_"Well she'd have to be holding something-"_

_"Satsuki-"_

_"I mean, she'd had to have done it at least once in order-"_

_"Satsuki enough!"_

_"I'm just saying she'd be understanding," said Akashi with an evil grin. "She had you when she was sixteen didn't she?"_

_"And a fat lot of good it's done her," Niou snapped, leaning back on the ground. Akashi's expression softened, however she said in reply._

_"It's not the end of the world. Now, you walking in on her, that-"_

_"Satsuki you evil-"_

"Akashi? Akashi?" said Sanada pulling her away from her day dreaming. "You okay?" he asked, the two sat together in a small cafe near Rikkai.

"Yeah," Akashi replied with a small smile, truthfully she wasn't, while it was already their third date she still had no idea what they were doing. She'd been in two relationships in the past, one lasted a week, the other a whole year, in the end they both crashed and burned, almost taking the Rikkai tennis club along with it. "No," Akashi admitted, Sanada frowned.

"What is it?" he asked, his tone worried. Akashi took a good look at him, Sanada was always the steady one, the strict and reclusive steady one, someone she'd never be in the same room alone if she had a choice, because he was never really much fun, a year ago she'd rather be stuck with the monotoned Yanagi Renji than Sanada, but there they were, alone, talking and she was having a great time. Things were complicated in her life, Akashi didn't want to add to the drama, but he made her feel at ease, it gave her a break from the constant worrying.

"What are we doing?" she asked him.

"We're talking," he answered simply.

"No, that's not what I meant, I mean, what are we doing, the two of us."

"Huh?" Sanada was clearly confused.

"Is this just a friendly get together? Are we just meeting and catching up? Or is this a date?"

"I thought it was," Sanada replied taking Akashi off guard by his honesty. "I mean, this is nice, I like being with you, I was hoping we were becoming more than just friends."

"Just friends?" Akashi asked with a smile.

"You know what I mean. But, I guess we weren't very clear were we?" Akashi shook her head.

"I'm bad at relationships," she said. "You were there, you saw how my last one panned out, we nearly destroyed the whole club if it weren't for you and Masaharu. It was really bad, and-"

"Then it's a good thing we attend different schools, and that the club in danger now is Hyotei," Sanada remarked.

"I mean it wasn't just him, it was me too, I neglected him, we went days without talking to each other outside of class and club activities, and, and I'm messy. I eat messily, my room is messy, my life is messy. I not kidding, I am a ball of nerves waiting to go off and explode, and I have nuclear capability, I will bring you down as well, and I don't want to do that. But I like you, I really do and you're so sweet to me now, I mean, you were always nice to me but you kinda always had this stick up your a-you know what? Never mind, but-"

"Are you done?" Sanada asked, cutting off her rambling.

"Kinda."

"I can handle messy, the club is messy, not just because of you, but because we have a rare collection of social paths, pathological liars, borderline autistics and someone with split personalities. I can handle messy. So... is this a date to you?" he asked her. Akashi paused for a moment.

"Yes," she clarified, Sanada smiled, she'd rarely ever seen him smile in the past but now Akashi wished he'd do so more often, he had such a nice smile. "Is this a date to you?" she asked, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Yes."

"Okay," said Akashi, there was an awkward pause. Slowly Sanada reached across the table and placed his unsure hand over hers, Akashi watched as he wrapped his fingers around hers. "Okay then," she said again, this time with a smile.

XXXX

"You seem happy these days," Atobe remarked at morning training the next day. Akashi had a small smile on her face as she watched those who were late run laps around the courts. "Well, you've always had a sadistic streak but your smile today has a rare glow to it."

"Does that mean I'm dull normally?" Akashi asked, however there was still a slight smile.

"Not at all, but you're a dark and twisty sort of person, so a your idea of a cheerful is...actually I got nothing, but you're not normally bright and glowy," Atobe replied.

"Thank you?"

"No problem, what's gotten into you? Someone in your life?" A small smile appeared on Akashi's lips. "No way, did Oshitari ask you?"

"Ask me what?" she asked curiously. Atobe stumbled over his words during the next part, but he managed to piece together.

"Umm, to call him by his first name?" He said lamely, Akashi smiled brightly and nodded.

"That? That was ages ago."

"Yeah, I guess so," Atobe frowned in confusion, if it wasn't Oshitari, who was it? Changing the subject he watched her pull out what looked like a melted chocolate bar from her pocket. "What are you eating?" Atobe asked as he watched Akashi devour some type of brown candy in clear wrapping.

"I don't know," Akashi replied. "But it's delicious, Choutaro got them from some old lady yesterday and he gave one to me."

"Why is an old lady giving Ootori candy?" Akashi shrugged.

"He helped her carry stuff down some stairs, he's a good kid like that," she answered taking another bite.

"He's an absolute gem," Atobe replied. "Is that why you made him a regular?" he asked, holding up the updated roster for the coming tournament.

"Nope," Akashi denied. "I did no such thing."

"I have paper proof in my hands and you dare deny?" Atobe asked dramatically. Akashi smiled in response.

"You're such a drama queen, riddle me this, describe my hand writing?"

"It depends on your mood, when you try it's neat and clean, when you're lazy it's chicken scratch." Atobe took a closer look at the roster. "And this is neither, you don't do those loopy things with your letters."

"The coach made those changes," Akashi said taking another bite of candy. "As much as I like the kid, I thought it was too soon to be honest."

"Yeah," Atobe agreed. "I guess this is the coach pushing him out of the nest." Akashi sighed, clearly worried. "He'll be fine, he'll spread his wings and start flying."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Then he'll be bumped down to just another member of the club."

"So he'll become a cheerleader, great, just great."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Akashi rummaged through her things searching for her old Rikkai jersey, she'd left her favourite pair of silver hoop earrings in the pocket, her hands were trembling slightly, she was nervous, today was the day of the district tournament, while the first of many to come, hopefully, it was still her first time as bench coach at Hyotei. Sakaki had refused to even be present until the Kantou, in his words 'they weren't worth his time'. As much as she loved him, sometimes Akashi wanted to punch her lovely uncle in the face.

"Found you!" Akashi exclaimed as she pulled her yellow jersey from the bottom of a pile, as she pulled on the sleeve, a stack of clothes tumbled over and fell on the floor from her mess of a wardrobe, she never was the tidy sort, on top of the rubble was a purple cord tangled around her earrings. Akashi took a deep breath in and sighed, bending down slowly she picked it up and gently dislodged her earrings from the cord. It was Niou's, his favourite hair tie and the one he used during every match, he must had left it with her last year after the nationals and she had forgotten to give it back to him. "Damn," she muttered to herself, she could pretend she never saw it and put it back where she'd found it, or she could find a way to get it to him without him seeing her, either way seemed to put a knot in her chest.

The ringing of her mobile phone startled her into a jump, she dropped the cord and reached for her phone. "Hello?" she said. There was no response. "Hello?" she repeated, it seemed to occur to her that a change in tone might bring in a response. "Hellooooooo?" Suddenly the line ended. What was that? she thought to herself. Suddenly the phone rung once more, irritated that someone was playing with her, she snapped, "What!?"

"Hello to you too," replied Atobe with humor in his voice.

"Oh, hi, was that you before, because that was not funny," said Akashi, clearly annoyed.

"Oh, yes, that was me praying that you'd mess up your eyeliner on the most important day of your career, did it work?" Akashi paused to hear if he was just playing dumb.

"I don't wear eyeliner," she pointed out at last.

"Really? Hmm, good to know, maybe. Anyway, I was calling to see if you needed me to pick you up, it's on my way."

"You don't know where I live," Akashi replied.

"Well, it's still no trouble," Atobe said, she could practically hear him shrug.

"Haha, no need, Choutaro's taking the bus with me, since the Prefecture and Kantou tournaments are being held in the same place I figure I better learn how to get there myself."

"It's at the Tennis forest garden, remember that if puppy boy gets lost and you need to take a taxi," said Atobe.

"Puppy boy?" Akashi echoed.

"Cause his eyes droop and he follows you around like a lost puppy," he explained. "Okay, well see you there then."

"If Clifford gets lost I'll give you a call," Akashi assured him. Atobe laughed.

"Clifford the big red dog?"

"He was the runt of the litter, however love changed him and he grew to the size of a house."

XXX

Contrary to his appearance, Ootori had a good sense of direction and showed Akashi several ways of travelling to the Tennis forest garden using public transport, they took a stop for breakfast and even helped an old lady cross the road on the way.

"I have never seem someone inhale food like that," Akashi remarked as she and Ootori made their way towards the meeting point.

"Inhale is a bit harsh," Ootori replied ruefully as he repositioned his sports bag on his shoulder. "You just don't eat a lot," said Ootori despite the fact that Akashi was still munching on a chocolate dipped waffle, he grabbed her wrist and raised it to eye level. "Look at you, your skin and bones." Akashi pulled her wrist back and hit Ootori's stomach with the back of her hand, even over his shirt she could feel the hardened muscles he'd obtained from training.

"You are just a giant, not everyone is over 185, but it still doesn't make sense, where did all that food go? How the hell did you eat so much?" she asked shaking her head. Once they'd reached the registration booth Akashi picked up the clip board on the table and began filling in their school details.

"You don't look nervous at all," Ootori remarked as Akashi looked around and counted off the members who had arrived, being first seed, they didn't have a match for another three hours but Akashi to watch their opponent's games and become familiar with their styles, it seemed a few others had the same idea.

"Why should I be nervous?" Akashi replied.

"It's your first time running the show, with Atobe-bucho breathing down your neck I thought you'd be nervous but you look confident."

"It's called bullshitting," Akashi replied bluntly. "I'm nervous as all hell, what about you, your knees are shaking." Ootori laughed.

"Haha, I'm no good at hiding my emotions," he admitted scratching the back of his head. Akashi smiled at him.

"You'll be fine," she assured him, with a small frown she leaned in and whispered. "Nervousness is an unsightly and unholy beast and we shall not acknowledge it unless we have to, got it?"

"Yes sir," Ootori replied seriously, however it didn't last long. "I mean, Akashi- senpai, no um I mean, Akashi Sat-, no no, madam? Um, Coach?" Akashi laughed lightly as he dug himself a deeper and deeper hole.

"You'll be fine," she repeated, patting him on the shoulder. "Blue skies and sunshine."

XXX

"Why so serous, mother hen?" a voice whispered into Akashi's ear, she gasped in surprise and quickly turned around to see Atobe grinning down on her. "Yo," he said, waving a hand.

"The hell is wrong with hello?" she demanded turning her attention back to the match. Since it was Hyotei's first round, all five matches were to be played. Having already won the first four, Hyotei was through to the semi-finals but there was even more pressure on singles 1, anything other than a clean sweep would be considered unacceptable in Sakaki's eyes.

"Puppy boy seems to be playing well," Atobe remarked as he watched the tall second year on the tennis court. The score was 5-0 in Ootori's favour but Akashi knew he wasn't having an easy time, he was nervous and anxious, if he'd been playing at his best the match would have been long over, but she kept her thoughts to herself, the last thing he needed was for her to acknowledge his doubts.

"Hmmm," Akashi sighed. As talented as Ootori was, she still couldn't help but feel like he wasn't ready, with his style he was more suited for doubles, but finding someone who would work well with him was next to impossible at Hyotei.

"You worry too much," said Atobe sitting down next to Akashi. "You know that?" She didn't hear him, her attention solely on the match, Atobe looked at her and saw that her hands were white from being clenched so tightly. With a sigh Atobe placed on arm over her shoulder and gently untangled her fingers from each other. He shook her in his arms and repeated, "Stop worrying." Finally hearing him Akashi took a deep breath and shook her head.

"I don't know what's wrong with me, I've never been this nervous during a match," she confessed.

"You didn't have something to prove then," Atobe replied. Akashi nodded and leaned on him, her head resting on his shoulder.

Ootori won his match 6-2, as Akashi suspected he wasn't playing at his best, however aside from the first wrinkles the rest of the day proceeded smoothly. Fortunately all the players at Hyotei were the egotistical sort and they rode the momentum all the way to the finals, crushing their opponents 3-0. Ootori was no exception, with each victory he seemed to get more and more confident and played better and better, he was even disappointed that singles 2 had no chance to play in the finals.

XXX

"She leaves a girl and comes back a conquering queen," said Atobe as Akashi walked towards him, Mukahi and Oshitari, the three was warming up and waiting for training to start. It was Monday morning and news of Hyotei's victory at district had spread across the school, despite it being such a small feat, Akashi had erased all the doubt of those around them who had questioned Sakaki's decision to appoint her as a secondary coach.

"Congratulations," said Oshitari. Akashi smiled back at him.

"Thanks," she said. "Next is the prefecture I guess."

"Well, you can take it easy there," said Atobe as he threw an arm around her shoulder. "Since you'll have me there."

"My hero," said Akashi in an unenthusiastic voice, but there was a smile on her lips. Oshitari's eyes seemed to focus on Atobe's arm and his closeness to Akashi, noticing this Mukahi subtly kicked him in the shin.

"Hey," Oshtari remarked glaring at his doubles partner.

"Satsuki," said Mukahi. "Wanna go out tonight, we can celebrate, it'll be my treat." He offered.

"Sure, sounds great," Akashi replied.

"You wanna come," Mukahi offered Oshitari.

"S-sure," he replied, only now realising that his friend was trying to help him.

"What about you Kei, you coming?" Akashi asked Atobe, Mukahi cursed under his breath. Atobe smiled and agreed to go.

"We should bring puppy as well," he suggested. "The mutts earned him meal."

"Hey hey, I'm not paying for you and whoever you bring," Mukahi warned in trying to discourage the tennis captain. "Just me, Yuushi and Satsuki."

"That's fine," replied Atobe oblivious to the hidden message in Mukahi's words 'You're not welcomed'. "You know what, how about I'll treat you guys for dinner?" Mukahi suppressed a groan and an urge to strangle Atobe, while Oshitari's mood continued to darken with every second.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Niou opened his eyes at the sound of his alarm, slowly getting up he made his way to the bathroom which he now shared with his cousin, a perky 12 year old whose mind seemed to be filled with nothing more than pink fluff and boys. He reached for the toiletries that he kept on the top shelf, it was the only place his cousin hadn't filled with her junk because she couldn't reach, and because she couldn't reach she couldn't snoop through his belongings.

"Morning," Niou greeted his Aunt, sitting down at the kitchen table for breakfast, she smiled and placed a plate of food in front of him.

"Good morning," she replied, in almost every way did she look like his mother, her hair was the same dark brown and her eyes a startling olive gold, but the two couldn't be more different. "Training? If I remember correctly, the district tournament is around the corner right?"

"Yeah," Niou replied after swallowing a mouthful. "Tomorrow actually, most of the other districts had theirs last week, but I'm probably not gonna even play though, Sanada's been wanting to test out a few of the new club members."

"You boys and your sports." As fond as Niou was of her, the two never really had any substantial conversation, even before he moved in, however they got along well and she was lenient as long as he maintained good grades. "The hospital called," she added carefully. "You still haven't called them back after the last time? It's been weeks."

Niou swallowed his food and replied. "Y-yeah, um, busy, you know, sports, school and all that stuff." His aunt knew he was lying, but did not pry.

"They wanted to remind you that the memorial is in a months time, and were wondering if you'd give a speech." Niou laughed at the mere suggestion. "I know, I told them you weren't one for public speaking, but remember to go okay? It was important to your mother."

"Yeah, I know..."

XXX

Everyday school life at Rikkai had all but become a fixed pattern, training in the morning, classes, lunch with his teammates and training again after school. After that he'd sometimes go to the golf course with Yagyuu, play darts at the local bar, head over to the archery club or hang out at the arcade with Marui, Kuwakara and Kirihara, his favourite were the gun-shooting games. Niou had all but gotten used to life without Akashi, he stopped checking his shoes, bags and clothes for any surprises, and he no longer went to the class A home room to look for his best friend. Once in a while Niou found himself buying an extra drink at the canteen or thinking of waiting back after school with an umbrella because Akashi never seemed to have one on her, but he'd quickly remember she was no longer in his life. It amazed him at how easy the adjustment was.

"Niou-kun," said Yagyuu walking into Niou's classroom after school. "Could you tell Sanada that I'm gonna be late today, there's a situation with the student council and I'm needed."

"Yeah, yeah," Niou replied getting up from his chair, he yawned and stretched his neck. "The guy's not gonna be too happy about it."

"Tell him it can't be helped."

"I'll do that, although for some reason the stump's been in a lot better mood lately," said Niou picking up his bag.

"That does seem to be the case, do you know why by any chance?"

"Maybe he's finally getting laid," Niou replied. "I'll see you in a bit then," he added as he made his way to the tennis courts. The regular locker room was a lot cleaner and tidier the one would usually expect, especially considering the occupants, however Sanada made it absolutely clear that if anyone made a mess they would be the one cleaning it up and then some.

"Hey," Marui greeted Niou as he pulled his shirt over his head. "Where's Yagyuu?"

"He's going to be late, some council stuff," Niou answered opening his locker.

"Speaking of who," said Kuwahara, he was sitting down on the ground and taking off his shool shoes. "Did you head about the Golf club getting together a petition t get Yagyuu back?" Marui snorted.

"Good luck with that," he remarked. "If they want him they can have him. Right Niou?" Niou sighed and scratched his head.

"After all that effort I put in to recruit him? Those bitches better stay away," he replied.

"You sound like a jelous girlfriend," said Kuwahara in between chuckles. "Yet I seem to recall the archery club sniffing at your feet."

"Sniffing is all it is, and I'll tell you what," said Niou turning around and looking down at him. "Fix those stink bombs of yours that you call feet and they might do it to you too, because the smell is burning away my nose hairs." Kuwahara turned to Marui for support who shrugged.

"Sorry dude, we're lucky Sanada makes you keep your shoes in your locker not out here cause if you did you'd stick up the whole joint."

"The smell would dissolve through the metal if you're not careful," Niou added.

"We're thankful your deodorant covers up the smell that gets caught up in your clothes," the seaweed haired Kirihara remarked as he made his way into the locker room causing Niou and Marui to laugh. "What?"

"You are not one to talk, puri," said Niou. Marui nodded as he clenched his stomach.

"Haha, hey you guys wanna get some food after this?" he suggested after regaining his composure. "I've been craving that ramen at that place near Yukimura's place."

"You mean the hospital?" asked Kuwahara.

"Yeah, that's the one."

"Why not?" ageed Niou. "It's been a while since we've seen the captain as well, two birds one stone." Kirihara frowned. "What?"

"Nothing, I just never really understood that saying is all."

"What don't you understand?"

"Why attack birds?"

XXX

"Pack your things we're leaving right now!" said Atobe appearing out of nowhere causing Akashi to jump in her classroom seat.

"What?" Akashi looked up at the tennis captain, behind him was an expressionless Kabaji, an eager Mukahi, a smiling Oshitari and an excited Shishido whose long hair swooshed in its ponytail.

"We're going on a training camp, just the regulars, so get packing and let's go," said Atobe. Akashi packed her books back into her bag and stood up, careful not to get sucked up in the excitment she asked.

"What's going on exactly?"

"Training camp for the prefecture, we're heading to my beach house for the weekend, so let's get moving, bus is already waiting out front."

"Is this a common thing?" Akashi asked.

"Yeah, we do it all the time."

"No, I mean you springing this on us all of a sudden and out of the blue, why are we going on a training camp? What can we do at a beach that we can't do here? No, go by yourself, I'm not going anywhere with you people."

"Is this about your parents not letting you go on a trip with boys?" Mukahi asked leaning towards her. "Cause the coach is coming also, and we'll keep the others in line, no one will be peeping in on you while you bathe, at least, we'll try to stop them."

Akashi rolled her eyes. "No, that's not it, but it's a very good reason! I'm saying I can't just drop everything and go frolicking on a beach with you people, no, go by yourselves."

Atobe's face suddenly turned very sober and serious. "I'm disappointed in you Akashi-san, I thought you'd jump at the chance to train at a different location, a different environment and atmosphere to help motivate and expose us to different routines. After all, someone who is unable to adapt is useless in a match."

"You are seriously not playing that card are you?"

"What card? I' just saying, a coach should be more responsible, even if they are a secondary coach." Atobe looked up through his lashes at Akashi who tried to stare him down, however in stead she sighed and ruffled her hair.

"Fine, but I'm going home to pack first."

"We can swing the bus to your place-"

"No need, I'll be back in an hour."

"B-but-" before Mukahi could finish Akashi grabbed her belongings and headed out the classroom, once alone she reached for her mobile and speed dialled number 2.

"Hello?" said a voice on the other line.

"Hey, I got roped into this training camp thingy, is that trip you mentioned before still on?"

"Yeah, I'm flying out to Seoul to finalise a business deal tonight. Why?"

"Damn, nothing, I added some strawberries and cherry tomatoes to the herb garden and I was hoping you'd be home to water them, that's all."

"You've killed plenty of plants before, what's a few more?" replied the voice on the other line.

"Haha," said Akashi, she could practically hear the other person grinning on the other end. "I just, I don't know, I like theses particular two plants, they seem to like me…I sound crazy don't I?"

"No more than you usually do, sorry babe."

"No problem."

"I could send someone to water them if you feel so strongly about plant homicide," the voice offered.

"Nah, it's fine, I'll ask someone on my end, thanks though."

"No worries, are you heading home now?"

"Yeah."

"I could pick you up, it's on my way, besides, we won't be seeing each other for the next few days."

"Sure, I'll meet you outside then?"

"I don't get why you won't just let me drop you off at school in the morning."

"Because that would require a parent or guardian's signature, and neither one of us wan't to get them involved," replied Akashi knowingly.

"We could forge them?" She laughed lightly. "Alright, silly idea, see you in a bit then."

"Bye."

XXX

"Choutaro!" Akashi called chasing after the second year down the hall, Ootori paused and turning, seeing her he smiled and replied.

"Hey, is something the matter Satsuki?"

"Not a problem but a pain in the arse, Keigo is dragging me on this training poor excuse of a holiday thingy, and I need a favour."

"Sure, anything."

"That right there is why I worry about you," said Akashi with a frown.

"Huh?"

"You agreed without knowing what it was, that'll get you into trouble you know."

"Really?"

"Yeah, but that's a lecture for another time, I was wondering if you could-"


	13. Chapter 13

_A year ago…_

**Chapter 13**

"Masaharu," Niou heard a voice say, he ignored it ad curled under the cover of his bed sheets, he didn't want to get up, it was warm and toasty where he was, and it was a cold mean world outside. "Haru, honestly, if you're late you're going to have to answer to Satsuki-chan." At the mention of Akashi's name Niou bolted and quickly sat up.

"I'm up, I'm up!" he said, he turned to his left to see his mother. Barely in her thirties, her long brown hair was tied up in a bun, she wore her salmon coloured nurse uniform underneath her apron and her golden eyes were frowning down at him. "Morning!" Niou exclaimed as he threw his arms around her waist, she patted him on the head gently before pushing him away.

"Move it sunshine," was all she said as she left his room and made her way back to the kitchen.

"Love you too," Niou muttered to himself quietly, he ruffled his brown hair. "She so grumpy in the morning, puri."

Niou's morning routine was nothing complicated, he threw on his clothes, brushed his teeth, wiped his face down with a damp towel and put on some moisturiser. He chuckled as he remember Akashi's routine when she slept over at his place, she had a bag dedicated to skincare, she'd pin back her hair, brush her teeth, wash with some sort of foam, pat on toner, rub some funny smelling lotion into her skin, massage her face, put on moisturiser before finally putting on sunscreen on her face, neck, arms, legs and hands. Yet despite its complexity, she was done from start to finish in the same time amount of time as Niou.

Niou practically skipped down the hall to where his breakfast awaited him, however the sound of giggling stopped him in his tracks, carefully and slowly he peering into the kitchen to see Akashi sitting with his mother drinking tea from a bright blue mug.

"Morning," she greeted Niou despite his efforts to remain unseen.

"There you are sunshine," remarked his mother. "What are you doing there?"

"Nothing," Niou muttered as he sat down at the dining table while his mother and best friend continued to gossip, leaving him alone and neglected.

"We better get going then," said Akashi getting up once Niou wolfed down the last of his meal. "Otherwise we're gonna be late, thanks for the tea Aunty."

"Aww, you're welcome blue," replied Niou mother; a reference to her cornflower blue eyes; as she gently patted her cheek. "I aways wished Haru was a girl just like you."

"Well, if you wanna trade with my dad, he always wanted me to be a boy, nothing like Niou of course but a boy."

"Ooo, well I'm happy to trade, I'm just worried we don't have enough room for all your clothes," she said seriously.

"Okay! No trading without everyone's approval," exclaimed Niou jumping up and grabbing Akashi's arm. "And I refuse, so that's that. Let's go Suki."

"Bye Aunty," said Akashi with a smile as she got up and placed her cup in the sink. "See you tonight then."

"Bye you two, have a good day, remember-"

"Blue skies and sunshine," Niou and Akashi finished for her.

"We know Mum," said Niou kissing his mother on the cheek. "Bye."

"Bye darling," replied his mother as she picked up his plate, Niou was already out the door, but being on step slower Akashi heard the sound of something breaking, looking back Akashi could have sworn she saw Niou's mother struggling to catch her breath. She slowed down to go back but before she could Niou tugged on her arm.

"Hurry up," he nagged, dragging her out of the house.

XXX

"Training, training and more training," Niou complained as he and Akashi made their way to school, they walked side by side, Akashi's arm hooked around Niou's. "When will it end," he wailed.

"You just became a regular, just in time for the district, don't complain," replied Akashi. "Ever since Jun-senpai graduated I've been left alone with the big 3 to handle the routine, menus and all the other paper work, being along in a room with those three, I have it much worse."

"Yeah, but…no I've got nothing, you win," Niou conceded. "It can't be all bad, they're um, well they are umm…"

"Nice looking?" Akashi suggested with a smile.

"Yeah, why not, they're that."

"Nah, Yukimura-kun is nice enough, so is Yanagi-kun, Sanada-kun is…quirky, but he's professional and easy to work with, I just…they're not like you and me," said Akashi. "They're not the type to mess around or joke about, you know? It's…dull."

"Urgh, alright I get it, you have it worse," replied Niou, Akashi laughed.

"Yes I do, and don't you forget it. By the way, how's that Yagyuy guy you recruited?"

"Good, really good actually…" Niou trailed off, catching a scent Akashi demanded.

"What?"

"Too good, if he keeps this pace, he'll surpass me in a month," said Niou with a sigh. Akashi looked at her best friend, leaning in closer, she reached and pinched his cheek. "Oww, the hell was that for?"

"Cause you're being a sour puss and feeling sorry for yourself," she replied. "If he keeps improving, then you improve also so he can't catch up, it's that simple." Akashi let go of his arm. "Honestly, when did you become so spineless?" she demanded as she stormed off. Niou rubbed his sore cheek.

"Hey! Satsuki wait up!" he called after her.

XXX

"Green milk tea for the lady," said Marui as he placed a carton in front of Akashi as she sat and ate her lunch at Niou's classroom desk.

"Thank you," she replied with a smile, Marui however noticed the carton already in her hand while he pulled up a chair and sat between he and Niou. "Now I have two," Akashi added. Niou gave Marui a smug smirk as he watched the pink head's expression fall. "But it's no use you know," she said poking a straw through the silver circle on the top of the carton.

"What?" Niou and Marui asked innocently.

"Don't give me that bullshit," said Akashi sharply. "I'm not telling you who's playing in the district tournament, there's fifty of you sweaty brutes, and if I spill I'm gonna have to run away from the worst three. Sanada-kun will bitch slap me into next year."

"When she puts it that way I almost feel guilty for even asking," Niou said to Marui who nodded.

"Sanada's scary," he agreed, suddenly changing the topic he asked. "By the way, do you guys have plans today after practice?"

"Not really," said Akashi, Niou shook his head. "Why?"

"There's a new fast food place not too far from here and I wanted to try it out," Marui explained. Akashi did a short intake of breath at the word fast food.

"Sanada-kun better not hear you say that," she told him, Marui's expression turned cautious as he looked around the classroom. "He's not here," Akashi pointed out.

"I know, but you know the devil," replied Marui. Niou smirked.

"Don't we have to say his name three times for him to appear," he asked mockingly.

"Nope that's Yanagi-kun, you need a sacrificial virgin to get-"

"Pass the front gate of Warcraft," Akashi interrupted him, Marui quickly turned to see Sanada walking into the classroom. He mouthed the words 'thank you' to her, Akashi smiled and whispered back. "You're welcome." Niou leaned towards her and asked quietly.

"Front gate of warcraft?" Akashi reached out and ruffled his brown hair.

"I don't know, I make shit up," she replied in a hushed voice.

"Akashi-san," said Sanada once he'd reached Niou's desk. "Yukimura said I'd find you here."

"Here I am," Akashi replied with a smile. "What's up?" Sanada looked above him before he realised she didn't mean it literally, she was the only one to smile this, Marui and Niou wanted to laugh but were too afraid.

"Oh, well, I was hoping on going over the training regime for next month today after club activities, are you busy?"

"Is something wrong?" asked Akashi, suddenly concerned, she had gone over those schedules again and again weeding out every flaw she could spot, she'd asked Sanada to take a quick look before she was going to show them to Yukimura and Yanagi tomorrow. "I could have sworn I double checked and triple checked them, damn it, what did I miss?"

"What?" Sanada's expression remained neutral but his voice wavered slightly. "No, nothing's wrong, I just wanted to suggest a few adjustments to Akaya's menu, that's all, nothing that can't wait until tomorrow morning. We can go over them then." Akashi's expression relaxed into a smile, Sanada paused for a momment. "That's it, good bye," he said, Sanada turned around and quickly left.

"Do you think i did something to piss him off?" asked Akashi.

"Why?"

"He's on edge…more than usual," she added. "And he's been avoiding me, that's the first time there was even a remote suggestion of him willing to be in the same room as him."

"Maybe he just realised you don't need monitoring," suggested Marui.

"Maybe he just doesn't want to see your ugly mug," said Niou, Akashi promptly kicked him under the table. "Ow!"

"You're very helpful," she told him with a cold smile.

XXX

Once the days activities were done Akashi and Niou walked home together, it was already evening and the sky was a burnt orange, they'd made plans to go out and have dinner together with Niou's mother. Akashi yawned into the back of her hand.

"I'm completely wiped," she complained. "Do you think your mom would let me cancel?"

"Haha, nooooo way," Niou replied immediately. "Mind? She'll blame me and spent the time grilling me on what I did wrong. If you want to cancel on her, you tell her, I am not falling into that rabbit hole, not after the last time."

"Fine," said Akashi, noticing her stumble as she walked Niou hooked him arm around hers. "I'm exhausted, and I have to get up at five tomorrow, stupid stupid San-of -a-bitch…" Niou chuckled as his best friend rested her forehead against his shoulder.

"You'll be fine," he assured her, Akashi returned him smile however she groaned when they reached flight of stairs to his apartment.

"Can't we call her down?" she suggested, Niou shrugged and reached for his mobile and called the apartment but there was no reply. "Maybe she's not home yet?"

"Maybe," but worried Niou called her cell, when no one picked up he called again. "What's wrong?" he asked noticing Akashi's worried expression, she was thinking back to this morning.

"I-" but before she finished she let go of Niou's arm and raced up the stairs, Niou chased after her a step behind.

"Satsuki, what's wrong?" he asked, but Akashi didn't reply, when they reached the third floor she immediately noticed the front door of their apartment was opened, running at full speed; leaving Niou behind; she pushed open the door and screamed.

"Haru-chan!" she called for her best friend, Niou was a few steps behind her, by the time he had reached the apartment Akashi was kneeling on the ground beside his unconscious mother who still wore her salmon hospital scrubs. "Call an ambulance! Hurry!"


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"I very disappointed in you," said Atobe, it was early in the morning and he and Akashi decided to take a morning jog along the beach while the rest of the regulars still slept.

"Because I'm not wearing a bikini?" Akashi responded. "Have you ever run with boobs strapped to your chest? They bounce and they hurt."

"Haha funny," Atobe replied. "Although I am disappointed you didn't pack one, it's fine, there are a bunch of them in stores, no what I meant was that you are on a beach with a bunch of hot guys and a rather suave looking old guy, and none have taken you swimming in the deep end if you know what I mean. Do you have some lolita complex? Is that is? Is that what's going on with Ootori? Is the helpless one your type because I think that's illegal you know-"

"Hahaha funny," said Akashi. "What do you care? You think I didn't notice you sneaking off at night to meet with those college girls? And that's illegal if you know what I mean." Atobe shrugged and smirked.

"Well, i can't help it if I'm so irrsistable," he replied.

"Urgh, you're a disgusting perv you know that?" Akashi shook her head in disappointment and sped up leaving Atobe being.

XXX

"Home sweet home," said Akashi with a sigh of relief as she entered the elevator to her apartment. She'd doubled back a few times and taken the long way from Hyotei to ditch the nosy regulars who were following her, namely Atobe and Gakuto. "Why are they sooooooo annoying?" she asked herself as the elevator stopped on the top, the doors opened, tired and sleepy she didn't notice someone was there and just as she stepped out she walked right into them. "Sorry," she said, looking up she saw Ootori smiling down at her. "Oh hey!"

"Hello," he replied, Ootori was wearing a pair of shorts, a white t-shirt and regular runners, he pointed to her apartment door. "i was just watering your plants, I thought you wouldn't be back until tonight?"

"I nagged at the captain until he gave in," Akashi replied with a smile, she pulled on her suitcase and made her way to her apartment. "Thanks for helping me out," she added. Akashi stopped outside her front door and typed in her house code, Ootori helped her carry her things into her home.

The first thing anyone would noticing entering her apartment was that it was spacious, while the place itself was already quite large taking up the entire top floor, it was also rather empty, the most prominant item was the large floor length mirror by the door, the frame was a faded teal with swirl patterns painted in gold, it looked battered and old with a distinct antique feel to it.

"Here, I'll carry, you lead," Ootori offered taking her suitcase from her, Akashi smiled appreciatively and show Ootori to her bedroom, like the rest of the house it was large, spacious and rather empty. She had a desk with a laptop on it, a large wardrobe took up an entire wall with a door that lead to an on suite bathroom. She didn't have a bed frame, just a king sized mattress on the ground with white bedsheets and pillows. Ootori looked around, he'd been to her apartment twice over the weekend to water the plants on her balcony but he'd never entered any of the bedrooms, he couldn't help but think that despite the large amount of clothes and the garden, she could pack up and leave at a moments notice. There weren't any personal items lying around, no photos, no toys, not even a poster, the one thing significant he could pinpoint was a silver pendant on her nightstand, he'd seen her wear it a few times, whenever she was nerve she'd touch, a habit he wondered if she was even aware of.

"What's wrong?" Akashi asked noticing how silent he was. "Is my house keeping that atroshious?"

Not thinking Ootori replied. "It's not like there's much to make a mess of," he gasped and covered his mouth. "I'm sorry it just slipped out." Akashi just laughed.

"Its fine, it's true anyway," she answered, noticing how Ootori was still upset with himself she said. "How about I treat you to some ice cream? As thanks," she looked at him expectingly, slowly Ootori raised his head and nodded.

XXX

"How was the training camp?" asked Ootori. The two sat outside not far from her apartment on a bench, Ootori had a large bowl of ice cream with four flavours while Akashi only had one scoop.

"Everything you'd expect I guess," she answered carefully scooping the ice cream with her plastic spoon. "Running on the beach, eating meals, sleeping, training, basically everything we do here but far far needlessly far away, Keigo got himself laid everything night with a different girl, the usual." Ootori grinned barely listening, he looked down at his ice cream with glee. Watching him Akashi couldn't help but laugh.

"What is it?" Ootori asked self consciously as he ate, Akashi shook her head but she kept laughing.

"Nothing, you keep inhaling that ice cream," she managed to say between giggles.

"It's good," Ootori replied meekly, Akashi nodded but continued to giggle.

"No I'm sorry, it's, I don't know why I'm laughing," she admitted wiping a tear from her eye. "You just look to happy and content with ice cream I just-" Akashi bursted out into a fit of giggles. Still eating Ootori started to laugh as well. "Why are you laughing?"

"Cause you are," he admitted.

"We're both idiots," said Akashi with a content sigh, she smiled and dug her spoon into her ice cream.

"I don't see anything wrong with that," Ootori replied ruefully, Akashi gave him a playful shove. Her mobile started to ring, putting down the ice cream she reached for her mobile in her pocket.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Akashi-san?"

"Yes."

"It's Haruma, Haruma Yumi, I'm a nurse at Kanai general hospital and-"

"I remember you," Akashi interrupted.

"I'm glad, it's been a while hasn't it? I remember when you were younger you used to race down the halls on a wheel chair with Misaki's son-"

"Is something wrong with my last check up or-"

"What? No, I was calling regarding the new wing at the hospital, we're having an unveiling party next Sunday and as the wing's largest contributor I was hoping you'd come."

"Next week? I'm sorry, I'm a little busy right now and I'm not too sure I'll make it."

"I understand, but do try to show, we're having a tribute for Misaki, she truly was a wonderful person and her death, it was just so sudden."

"It was," said Akashi tensely, notching this Ootori put down his ice cream as well and placed a hand over hers.

"You okay?" he asked quietly. Akashi smiled back at him and nodded.

"I'll do my best to show, next week sunday?"

"Yes, at twelve noon, please come, I've already invited Masaharu-kun, he's agreed to say a few words in his mother's honour."

"Has he? Well, then I guess I'll have to go now, won't I?"

XXX

"You okay?" asked Sanada. He and Akashi sat together at a small coffee shop, it was a sunny and bright day and he was excited to see her, since Akashi moved at the start of the year and between school and club activities they only managed to meet in person anywhere from one to five times a fortnight.

"I'm fine, just tired," Akashi replied. "I haven't been able to get a good night sleep for the past few days."

"The beach for a training camp…I thought you hated the beach, given what happened," Sanada remarked thinking back to when they were in their first year Rikkai had a training camp at the beach, a sophomore at their school had with humour, pushed Akashi off a small cliff and into the ocean, unknown to everyone but Niou, she didn't know how to swim.

"Yeah," Akashi smiled to hide her embarrassment. Niou had jumped in after her and pulled her to shore, having all group of teenage boys around her while her clothes were now see through was not a fun experience, she was just grateful she was wearing a swimsuit underneath. "Nishiki-senpai practically became my slave for the next two years."

"He was the one who pushed you in," Sanada pointed out, Akashi smile and nodded. "You got away with a lot of crap while he was around."

"I did," Akashi admitted. "Although most of them were Haru's messes and I was just cleaning up."

"That explains a lot," said Snada now looking back on the past couple of years in new light. "I always wondered how he got away with half the stunts he pulled." Akashi shrugged, Sanada noticed the tension in her hands, they were treading on a sensitive topic. "Speaking of babysitting, my brother is having kid, his wife is pregnant…again," he said trying to change the subject.

"You're an uncle?" Akashi exclaimed causing him to laugh.

"Of course that is what you take from it, not the joy of life but another thing that makes me old."

Akashi laughed. "Sorry, but I honestly didn't know you were an uncle, how old is little…?"

"Sasuke," said Sanada, he reached into his pocket for his phone and showed her a photo of his nephew and his bob hair cut.

"Wow, he a tiny cute version of you," Akashi remarked taking the mobile from him to get a closer look, she smiled and the photo but then sighed.

"What's wrong?" asked Sanada.

"I feel like I don't really know you," said Akashi handing back the mobile. "It makes me sad is all, I might as well have just met you and call you Bob."

"Bob?" Sanda echoed. "Ah yeah, I'm Bob and I work at the umm, the bank around the corner, yeah real boring job," he added sarcastically, Akashi smiled.

"You know, I go there you know, for my umm deposits, I thought you looked familiar, I'm…I'm Joan by the way."

"Joan? Well nice to meet you Joan," said Sanada moving closer towards her, Akashi started to giggle. "Well is something the matter? You look upset."

"My boyfriend is a poo," Akashi replied. "The only things I know about him are the things I observe, he never talks about himself. He's distant and really uptight, he never holds my hand and let's forget about kissing in public."

"Is that how you feel? Well, I'm sure the lucky guy had no idea," Sanda said seriously. "But if he knew he'd tell you that he's sorry, and that he didn't realise it was upsetting you."

"He'll say that will he?" asked Akashi. "Well then tell him it's not enough, he needs to-" before she could Sanda kissed her, when they finally broke apart there was a slight flush to Akashi's cheeks. "Honestly Bob, why can't my boyfriend do that?" Sanada gave a rare laughed as he kissed her again.

XXX

"What does one usually wear to a hospital wing opening ceremony thingy?" asked Akashi as she and Atobe sat alone after club activities in Sakaki's office planning the prefectural rooster.

"Umm, a dress or a casual suit, why?" replied Atobe sitting on the coach beside here. "What about Oshitari?" he asked holding up the third year's club profile.

"No, he's not really a leader, besides, without Gakuto going as well he'll say no-"

"Not if you ask," Atobe muttered to himself putting the sheet of paper down.

"-and that's two out of three regular spots filled, and I don't trust those two without you there."

"Well then just send me in then," Atobe replied.

"But you said you wanted Kabaji to go," Akashi pointed out. "I don't need four regulars, it's the prefecturals not the Kantou."

"If you're going as well then you won't need me, they'll listen to you," said Atobe. "Why are you asking about clothes?"

"Yuushi maybe, he's reasonable enough, but Gakuto is a…"

"Pain in the arse," Atobe finished for her.

"Yeah, and I don't want to put up with his attitude. I got invited to an opening thingy, and I've never been to one."

"Mukahi isn't that bad, just a little cocky."

"That's cause he listens to you."

"Hmm, I guess, you could send me, Mukahi and Kabaji?" Atobe suggested helpfully. "Which thingy?"

"Maybe, but Gakuto is a doubles player, I doubt he'll willingly work with a sub or pre regular. Umm, the Kan-something hospital, a nurse invited me."

"Kanai general?"

"Yeah that. How'd you know?"

"Ootori's family owns the place, my family's also a major sponsor so I'm going also, we can make it a date, did you tell her you'll go?"

"No."

"Then why are you asking about clothes."

"Cause I'm going."

"What?"

"I told her I'm not going, but I'm going."

"Is this one of those inception things? Cause I never understood the movie. So just yes or no, are you going or not?"

"I'm going."

"Then we can make it a date, just us…three since puppy is probably going to be there also."

"Yeah…" Akashi cheered unenthusiastically. "A Monkey king and Clifford."

"You're lovely, you know that?" replied Atobe sarcastically. "How about Shishido?"

"Who?"

"Long haired boy, the one Ootori's in love with. Your rival for his affection and attention. The-"

"Yeah I get it, la di da, I'm in love with Choutaro but it's forbidden cause he's a kid which makes me a pedo, haha very funny," Akashi interrupted. "Shishido's a singles player right?"

"Yeah."

"You trust him?"

"Kinda. Shall I pick you up at 11?"

"Good enough," said Akashi writing his, Atobe's and Kabaji's names down. "No thanks, I'll meet you there. That's three, Hiyoshi as well, but…"

"You don't trust him in a singles positions? Speaking of trust, why not?"

"Not really, Hiyoshi's is stronger than Choutaro, for the prefectuals I was thinking… here," Akashi scribbled down a rough draft of the roster they'd made on a bit of scrap paper and showed Atobe.

"I don't see Ootori's name anywhere."

"Coach just made him a regular," Akashi explained. "And I practically spend nine hours a day, six days a week with you and your hoard of monkeys, I'd like some privacy. Honestly, I spend more time with you than my own boyfriend."

"What? When?"

"Today, he's telling him tomorrow. And I had no say in the matter," she added before Atobe could respond. "I recommended Hiyoshi but he wanted someone who was a team player, in other words, someone who won't throw a hissy fit in doubles."

"I was going to say good for him. No I mean your boyfriend, and do you know who the coach is dropping?"

"Either Taki or Natsume," replied Akashi. "They haven't exactly been performing well since they were made regulars. And no, my private life is private."

"Arrogance," said Atobe although Akashi wasn't sure if he meant her or the regulars, he took a closer look at the roster. "Hmmmm, I guess that's alright then, but for the finals, do you really need Kabaji for doubles? I'll find out who you're dating, regardless of your efforts you know that right?"

"Why?" Again there was confusion to what Akashi was referring to.

"There's no real point considering our opponent, how about we just have Shishido singles 3, Kabaji singles 2 and me singles 1." Akashi frowned in thought. "And because I want to know."

"You sure? Don't you think that's underestimating them a bit too much?"

"Nah, we'll be fine."

"You're an arrogant prick you know that?"

"For what? The prefectural finals or my confidence in finding out who you're dating?"

"Both."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Niou fidgeted in the front passenger seat of his Aunt's car, he tugged at his tie and pulled at his tucked in shirt, everything was tight and uncomfortable.

"Stop that!" lectured his Aunt slapping his hand away from his collar. "You'll ruin your suit."

"I'm not complaining," Niou muttered, she rolled her eyes in response.

"Good luck okay sweetie," she said once she pulled up in front of Kanai General hospital. "Are you sure you don't need me to go with you? I don't mind."

"No, I need to do this alone," Niou replied, he reached to opened the door but stopped for a moment. "Okay, bye," he said opening the door, he tried to get out but forgot to unfasten his seat belt causing his Aunt to laugh.

"You okay?"

"I'm good," said a breathless Niou, he unfastened his seat belt and got out of the car. "Bye," he said closing the car door, he turned around as the car drove off. Niou looked up at Kanai General Hospital, it looked like every other hospital he'd seen but this place was special to him. His mother worked as a nurse here and when he was young she'd drop him off at day care here, however he'd always find a way to sneak off and explore the hospital. It became a second home to him, he crawled up the trees in the gardens, dropped water balloons from the roof, even raced down the halls in wheelchairs and gurneys.

"Niou," called a voice from the front entrance where Yukimura stood with a small smile, he'd changed out of his pale green pyjamas and into a classic grey suit.

"Yukimura!" Niou greeted back, they walked up to each other and held onto each other in a tight embrace. "I miss you puri," he said letting go.

"I miss you too," Yukimura replied. "How have you been?"

"Great, what about you- I mean, you know, given everything," said Niou. Yukimura however kept on smiling.

"I'm doing great as well Niou," he answered. "How's the tennis club?"

"Umm," Niou stumbled to find the right words. "Still standing?" he said triggering a light laugh.

"That's good to hear, how is Sanada been? Kirihara was complaining the other day about his new regime."

"Well he was a complete shit for the first few weeks," Niou admitted. "But's he's been a lot better lately, something must have changed for him."

"I'm glad, I was worried, he always seems to tense when he visits," replied Yukimura as the two made their way inside. "How does it feel being back here?" he asked Niou.

"Haha, yeah well, I had some good times here," replied Niou fondly thinking back. His mother was a nurse here and Akashi a former patient, and together with another patient by the name of Itan, the three would get into all sorts of trouble. "And some not so good ones," he added. Sitting in the waiting room, shouting and yelling.

"From what I hear you did not make life easy here for the staff," said Yukimura. "Honestly, the horror stories the nurses tell. Speaking of your little troublesome threesome, where's Satsuki?"

"You know girls, battle of the genders," he lied.

"What did you do?" asked Yukimura suspiciously, he had long decided to keep the fact Akashi had visited him a secret.

"What makes you think I did anything?" asked Niou, Yukimura raised an eyebrow. "Well I didn't," he spluttered. "I didn't do anything."

"Yeah yeah, as we're on the topic of your childhood devil days, who is this Itan I keep hearing about?" Yukimura questioned subtly changing the topic, he didn't want to make Niou feel like he was prying, Niou in turn silently thanked him, he was always the more tactful one of the group.

"Itan was a true hell beast," Niou replied. "He was the kind of kid you'd love to be friends with but scared at the same time because he had the balls to be the little shit you didn't have the guts to be."

"That's a glowing review coming from you," replied Yukimura. "And it paints a terrifying image."

"Talking about me?" asked a deep calm voice from behind them. Yukimura jumped but a grin spread across Niou's face as he turned around to see an extremely tall male in a chic black suit and tie, his black bangs fell into his eyes and framed his face.

"You see this man right here?" asked Niou swinging one arm over the newcomer's shoulder. "You look into his eyes and you see prison, how you been jailbird? I heard they let you out months ago, where you been?" Itan shrugged.

"Travelling mostly, I spent a few months in South Korea and China," replied Itan, he had a very calm demeanour, his voice was level and polite yet all this scared Yukimura even more, he seemed like the type who could kill in cold blood.

"Did you bring me back anything?" Niou demanded letting his childhood friend go.

"Kinda, I have something for you," said Itan, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. Niou gleefully took it and opened it, inside was platinum stud earring.

"Thanks man," said Niou pulling Itan into a hug which he returned. "I'm glad you're here."

"Miss the chance to watch you get up on stage in front of a bunch of strangers?" asked Itan. "Never in hell." Niou laughed.

"Don't remind me please."

XXX

The first thing Niou noticed when walking into the banquet hall was the surprising number of people present, the second was Hyotei's tennis club captain talking to a group of people. Since it was a charity event Niou honestly didn't expect the ice cold king of Hyotei to show up, in accordance with such a title Atobe was dressed in a light grey suit with a blue cravat, on his arm was a stunning blonde with short hair cut in a bob and a knee length red dress.

"Hyotei's Atobe?" remarked Yukimura.

"What's he doing here?" Niou asked.

"His family was a major donor to this wing, I guess they sent him as a representative," the captain replied.

"Is that your rival or something?" asked Itan who never really understood his friend's obsession with tennis, however from the conversations he did listen in to, Hyotei was the runner up in last years Kantou tournament, which apparently was a big deal, thus made Hyotei tennis club in some way important as well. Hyotei Gakuen itself was a different story.

"Yes," Niou replied firmly.

"Huh, he's not what I expected," Itan commented, however his attention was more on the blonde than the tennis captain.

"What were you picturing?" questioned Niou.

"Someone along the lines of that Sanada of yours but with a narcissistic personality?" he replied quietly, Yukimura noticed that everything about his was quiet, which unnerved him, but Niou seemed completely comfortable around him.

Niou laughed. "You got the second part right at least."

"He seems like a complete dick," Itan added in such a neutral voice he could almost be complementing Hyotei's captain.

"He is."

"Well since the parameters are established," said yukimura. "Are we going to talk to him or avoid him?"

"Umm," Niou pretended to think for a moment. "Avoid, definantely avoid."

"Good," answered Itan, although his motivation were not as clear at Niou's.

XXX

"You seem bored," Atobe commented to his companion as they made their way to the refreashments, she rolled her blue eyes at him and shrugged.

"It's a party with a bunch of old people, what'd you expect?"

"There's free food," Atobe pointed out as he reached for a glass of wine and handed it to her. "And booze." She drained the glass in one gulp, Atobe considered handing her another but decided against it, she seemed unexpectedly tense today and would down a whole bottle given the chance. "You okay?" he questioned, she smiled at him.

"I'm fine," the blonde answered, but Atobe knew it was a lie, underneath her makeup and wig she was nervous but he couldn't quite figure out why. "I just, don't like hospitals."

"You didn't have to come," Atobe pointed out. "Didn't you tell them no Satsuki?" Akashi shrugged again, she ran her fingers through her blonde wig but didn't say anything, her makeup was meticulous, at first glance no one would recognise her as japanese, her features were distinctly caucasian and yet not at the same time. Atobe never really noticed before, but looking at her now he saw her high cheekbones, tall nose bridge, wide set eyes and a heart shaped face, he knew that it was her makeup that brought out and exaggerated these features but he couldn't help but ask. "You're not fully japanese are you?"

Akashi looked at him not in the least surprised at the question. "No," she answered.

"Mother?" Atobe questioned, guessing from her japanese name.

"No, my father's russian," she replied. "You're not fully japanese either are you?"

"No, my mother is english," said Atobe, he wanted to ask more but from the look in her eyes it was a touchy subject, something he could relate to. When he was a kid in England, he was surrounded by a lot of kids his age, he was ridiculed and mocked for being half japanese, however, he polished himself in that unforgiving environment where being even a little different seemed to be a crime. Yet one thing ruled above all else, winning, he looked for his opponents weaknesses and mercilessly aimed for them. He would not have survived had he not done so, a short time after, there was nobody stronger than him. "It's hard being different," he added. Akashi smiled.

"My mother used to call me a chameleon," she said. "No one could tell what nationality I was, when I was in Russia my hair was a little dark than the other kids but no one said anything, here, aside from my eyes no one can see anything other than someone who is japanese, but I knew." She sighed. "It gets confusing though, you forget, it's amazing how your ethnicity ties in with your identity, how it's supposed to shape you, the language you speak, even the way you're supposed to act. It was easier before, now…" Akashi trailed off, her eyes had begun to water, something Atobe pretended not to see, her struggles were different from his but they were struggles none the less, he decided to drop the whole subject, silently he handed her another glass of wine and picked one up for himself.

"I think we'll be needing this," he said, Akashi smiled.

"Cheers."

XXX

Niou tugged at the collar of his suit nervously, Yukimura stood beside him with a small smile as he watched his team mate.

"You'll be fine," he assured Niou. "Get up, say a few words, come back."

"Yeah," Niou checked his watch. "I've got ten minutes, I'm just going to freshen up for a bit first," he said leaving the banquet hall, not long after, Itan noticed people follow him out, cautious he silently trailed them. Yukimura didn't even notice, his attention on the girl next to Atobe who seemed strangely familiar.

Across the room Akashi's eye too noticed the men following Niou, worried she turned to Atobe and said. "Excuse me, I'm just going to use the bathroom."

"Sure, you know where it is?" asked Atobe.

"I'll be fine," answered Akashi.

XXX

Niou made his way down a deserted hall, taking a short cut through a storage room to the hospital roof, he needed fresh air. Just as he left the room, a man with a rather plain and common face followed as did three others, he seemed to be the type that'd blend in everywhere. Just as he entered a hand grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into the wall, his companion's faced similar fates. The common looking man turned to look at his attacker, recognising him instantly.

"Y-you," he stammered. "How-" before he could finish Itan grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into the wall again, he looked around to see his companions unconscious on the floor around them.

"Shh," Itan said quietly placing his hand over the man's mouth. "Let's not make a scene."

Niou pushed on the door that led to the stairways to the roof however it didn't budge, he examined it to see that it was now locked. Niou smiled, when he was younger he and Akashi would spend hours on the roof, sometimes they'd be joined by Itan and the three together were absolute horrors for the hospital. He turned to go back, having calmed down a fair bit only to see through the glass panel of the storage room door Itan and a man he vaguely recognised. The door hadn't completely shut, so hiding away from view he listened.

"-he wants information on Svetlana, Svetlana Aleksandrovna Udinov," Niou heard an unfamiliar voice say. "She's gone missing, and they think Niou might know where she's hiding."

"That man is pathetic, stalking a fifteen year old boy," Niou heard Itan's quiet reply. "You don't know where she is I presume?"

"If he did, I wouldn't be here."

"I guess so," Niou heard Itan reply. "Tell your boss to stay away from Niou," there was the sound of a punch and shove. "If any harm comes to my friend I will come for him, and he doesn't want to make an enemy of me now, does he?"

"N-no," was the reply.

"If he stays quiet so will I, you understand?"

"Y-yes." Suddenly there was a sound of a mobile ringing, Niou could hear Itan answer it, after a short one sided conversation he'd hung up.

"You're lucky I have business elsewhere today, now go!" There was movement, the door swung open and shut and then silence. Even outside the room Niou could feel Itan ever calm presence, it sent a shiver down Niou's voice, he knew what his friend was capable of, but to see and hear was something different from knowing. Yet he wasn't afraid, for some strange reason he suddenly felt calmer. Once Itan had left the storage room, after a few minutes of silence Niou stood up and took a different route back to the banquet hall, he was still nervous about his speech but it was no longer the priority in his mind.

XXX

Atobe looked around the hall to see Akashi quickly return her mobile in her hand, she looked more ruffled than before, her cheeks had a slight flush to them. "You okay?" he asked her. She smiled and replied.

"I'm fine, I'm just not feeling that great, I think I'm going to just head out."

"Oh, do you need a lift?" Atobe offered, Akashi quickly shook her head.

"No, I'm good, thank you though for the offer, bye."

"Bye." Atobe watched her hurry out of the door, what was going on?

Not far away Yukimura watched the blonde race out the door, his glanced at Atobe who seemed worried and confused. What did he do? He wondered.

XXX

As Akashi exited from a side door of the hospital, even more paranoid than usual, carefully she pulled her scarf up, repositioned her wig and made her way to the nearby park to calm herself down before making her way home. However the hour she took playing on the swings and sliding down the slide didn't seem to be enough, she took several detours and doubled backed to make sure she wasn't followed, even on the evaluator ride her hands were trembling, she struggled to punch the pass code into the keypad. Akashi entered her apartment and slammed the door behind her, she stumbled into her bedroom and threw herself over the covers, she just wanted to curl up and take a nap, her wig fell off and landed beside her.

"Welcome home," said a male voice causing Akashi to jump, she turned around to see the tall, dark and handsome Itan standing in her doorway, she was so distracted that she didn't even hear him approach.

"Itan…What the hell were you think!?" she demanded coldly.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"What the hell were you thinking?" Akashi demanded sitting up on her bed. Itan shrugged.

"They were coming after Masaharu Satsuki," he replied. "I couldn't just sit back and do nothing." Akashi sighed and ruffled her hair.

"They don't know you're hiding me Itan, if you get on their radar, they'll start digging through your life and everyone around you-"

"Masaharu's fine,"Itan assured her, as much as she was trying to hide it, she was worried about him, anything that could draw attention to him wasn't good. "And I'll keep my distance from him, if that'll help, okay?" he offered. "He's safe, There are plenty of ways of keeping tabs on people, Masaharu's is going to be fine." Akashi buried her faced in her hands, smearing her heavy makeup, Itan knew right away she was crying. "He'll be fine," Itan assured her as he sat down beside her. "I hardly recognised you today, you look nothing like yourself," he said. Akashi managed a laugh.

"What gave me away then?" she asked.

"The way you stood, walked, talked, drank," he said the last one with a small smile. "You could have switched bodies and I'd pick you out in a crowd of a thousand."

"I shouldn't have gone," Akashi admitted. "It was stupid, I knew he'd have people there looking for me, I just-"

"You miss your best friend," Itan finished for her. "Even though you were the one who drove him away, Satsuki…if he knew the truth about his mo-"

"He doesn't need to know anything," Akashi interrupted. "Let him blame me if it helps him get through this, I didn't do anything that contradicts what he said. It was my fault she died by herself, alone… I had the chance to save her, and I didn't do anything with it."

"So did he," Itan pointed out. "Even if she lied to him, if he can blame you, then he is as much to blame as you-"

"Enough," said Akashi. "The timing was convenient, think of it that way if it helps you Itan." Akashi wiped the tears fall down her cheeks. "What do you think will happen once this is all over? How many years do you think it'll take? What if I end up running for the rest of my life? Do you think I can just waltz back into my old life and pretend nothing happened? Which life do I go back to? People have died Itan…" There was a long pause before Itan asked.

"You promised your Uncle you'd finish middle and high school, that you'd give him this time to try a resolve things… what if he can't? What then?"

"What makes you think I keep my promises?" asked Akashi coldly. Itan thought about the always packed suitcase under her bed and the false identity she hid inside the large mirror in her hallway. Akashi reached under her bed and from a hidden compartment she removed a passport and a folder, she handed them to Itan. He opened up the passport and saw that it was his photo but it didn't identify him as Itan, but it didn't have his real name either. "Would you stay here? For Masaharu?" she questioned, Itan looked inside the folder to find a bank book, he looked at the balance and his eyes widened in surprise. He'd never seen so may zeros.

"Satsuki, what's this?"

"You could stay here," she offered. "In Japan, with Haru, he's like a brother to you isn't he? He's already lost his mother, he's all alone and he need you." Itan put the everything back into the folder and handed it to her.

"I owe your parents a debt and-"

"I don't want you to stay because of-" Akashi tried to cut in but Itan stopped her.

"If Masaharu is like a brother, then you are like my sister and mother all rolled up into one," he said quietly. "Masaharu is strong, he'll not only survive by himself but he'll grow stronger. You? You act tough, but you cry at the sight of a dead animal, you won't survive this alone and don't try to deny it. I'm not going anywhere. The very fact you went to see him proves this. Satsuki, you define yourself by those around you…" Itan then smiled. "And no one could miss Masaharu shitting himself on a stage," he added breaking the serious mood, Akashi laughed.

"I left before I could see it," she replied sadly. "Damn it must have been hilarious." Itan reached into his pocket and pulled out his mobile phone. "You didn't?"

"Recorded the whole thing," Itan replied proudly. "Although it wasn't what I was hoping for."

"What were you hoping for?"

"For him to fuck it up." Akashi bursted out into laughter.

"You're a wonderful friend." Itan shrugged.

"I know." Akashi watched the video with a small smile, he looked well at least, he'd gotten taller in the time they were apart, a lot taller. His features were sharper as well, his shoulders more broad and muscular, she smiled at the thought of his reaction to the extra work he'd have to do during his daily regimen, he would grumble and complain but Niou was always diligent and finished everything to the letter.

"Do you remember that yakuza guy you helped out a while back?" asked Itan once the video was over.

"Huh?" Akashi's mind was slow to process his words. "Umm, yeah, what about him?"

"Do you think you could call him up on that favour he owes you?"

XXX

Niou took a deep breath in and exhaled slowly, he wasn't entirely sure what he'd seen earlier, sitting alone in one of the hospital gardens he scratched his head. What was going on? he wondered, he'd just watch his friend of over a decade slam a man into the wall and threaten him as well as beat four others unconscious, and what for? To protect him? Niou didn't even recognise the man who seemed to have followed him, but he was sure he'd seen him before. What would have happened had Itan not stopped him? A bunch of scenarios popped into his mind sending shivers down his spine.

Niou couldn't even figure out why anyone would want to hurt him, he paused and reworded that thought in his mind, why anyone would hire someone to hurt him would be more appropriate. There were quite a few disgruntle ex-girlfriends and a few people he'd humiliated during one of his many pranks who would love to give him a taste of his own medicine. He thought back to the conversation Itan had with the stranger, he'd asked for information on Svetlana Aleksandrovna Udinov. He recognised the name, it was Akashi's russian name, her mother was japanese, when she had come to Japan she decided to use her mother's maiden name. Thinking back, Akashi's mother always called her Sveta, he'd assumed it was a nickname for Satsuki, the only reason Niou knew she had a different name was because he'd once caught a glimpse at her passport once and asked, she herself never brought it up.

Niou looked around the garden, recognising it from when he was younger, his mother had to work long hours to support them leaving Niou at the day care centre, being the bored and curious little boy that he was he'd escape and explore. It was at this very hospital he'd met Akashi and Itan, he remember just being in awe of the two. Once in the winter, Akashi became increasingly annoyed with a group of boys who lived next to the hospital and who bothered and insulted all the patients, they had built a giant snow man in one of their backyards and it became a source of pride for them. Akashi had gone over to the snowman, knocked off its head tied a length of rope where it's neck would had been and left a suicide note. Niou had never seen something that was as evil as it was genius, it was that moment they'd became best friends.

Was she in trouble? Niou wondered, he hadn't seen her in months, he'd cut all ties with her. Niou didn't know whether she was even alive let alone where she was.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

"Hello?" asked Akashi as she answered her mobile.

"Where the hell are you?" demanded Atobe's voice on the other end of the line.

"What?"

"Monday! Morning! Tennis club! Or did you forget?" replied Atobe.

"What?" Akashi asked again, she looked at the time and gasped, she was beyond late, normally at this time she'd already be at school getting ready for club activities. "I'm sorry, I only just got up," she admitted, Akashi never set an alarm, she was normally up at first light anyway, but today in particular, she just didn't feel up for it.

"You okay?" asked Atobe suddenly concerned. "You didn't look too good yesterday."

"I'm…" Akashi in that moment made a split second decision, she was fine, she wasn't ill or anything, but she just didn't want to face the world today. "I don't feel that great actually," she answered. "I'm sorry, do you mind if I-"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," said Atobe suddenly interrupting. "If you had just called ahead of time, then-"

"No, you're right, I'm sorry," said Akashi. "Are you guys going to okay?"

"Yeah, we have the schedule and everything, how hard can it be?" replied Atobe, Akashi suddenly regretted her decision. "Rest up okay? I'll call to check in on you, do you need anything?"

"No, I'm good, really, thanks though."

"Get some rest okay?"

"I will, thanks, bye."

"Bye," said Atobe hanging up the line.

Akashi sighed, worried for the tennis club captain and his sanity. She ran her fingers through her hair pushing it away from her eyes, looking to her left she saw Itan sleeping beside her. She sighed again, it felt like de ja vu, when she was younger and scared, her mother would climb into her bed and hold her until she fell asleep, as she got older and her mother busier with work Itan seemed to had taken over this mothering role. Reaching up to feel her cheeks, they were still wet. As she watched him sleep she wondered if she could even survive this ordeal without him, without her mother, her father, Niou, Itan was the only family she had left. He was right, she defined herself by those in her life, that was why she clung to her mother and Niou so tightly, yet now that they were both gone, she almost felt hollow inside. She missed them both so much, but her mother was dead, her best friend hated her.

Itan's loyalties were never to Akashi but to her mother, who'd picked him up from the streets of Moscow when he was a child, Akashi remembered when she saw him for the first time, battered, bruised and starved, his clothes were old and torn and his body covered in wounds and scars. She remembered feeling like the world's most selfish person for throwing a fit the night before because her shoes and dresses didn't match. Thinking back he had light brown hair then, looking closely at his roots he had dyed it black to blend in better in Japan.

"Are you done?" he muttered, his eyes still closed.

"You're awake?" Akashi asked.

"Yeah, that phone call woke me."

"Why didn't you tell me then?"

"Cause you were on the phone, I didn't want you to think I was ears dropping, then you started to molest my face, so there wasn't ever really a good time to get up," he answered, Akashi laughed and ruffled his hair.

"You better get up now or you'll be late for that meeting," she pointed out, Itan opened his dark eyes and looked at the time, he yawned and climbed out of bed to get ready for the morning. Akashi couldn't help but laugh at his bed hair.

"You going to alright by yourself?" he asked just before he left for work, he had changed into a plain t-shirt and black jeans dressed up with a black blazer and leather shoes. Akashi waved him away quickly. "Bye then."

"Bye!" she replied as he walked out the door.

Alone in the house, Akashi took a good look around, the plants on her balcony that she was trying so hard to keep alive were dead, Niou always used to say that a person's choice in clothes, furnishings and food said a lot about them, looking at her own bedroom, with the sleek white walls and dark wooden furnishings, she wondered what it said about her. She had the whole day to herself but she didn't know what to do, call Sanada? But he was already long into his day at Rikkai, instead she texted him.

Akashi finally decided to clean her apartment, the first clean it had since she and Itan moved in a few months back, she wiped down the windows, vacuumed the floors, did the laundry and cleaned up the kitchen making it spotless. It took her most of the day, when she went to tidy up Itan's room it was exactly as she pictured it, everything was already tidy and properly organised, the bed was made, the clothes neatly hung, there wasn't a speck of dust in sight. Itan's room was even emptier than hers, he had a bed, a bedside table, a desk and a closet half filled with clothes, she went over to look through them, his colour palette was blankly obvious, Itan preferred neutrals, greys and black clothes, and everything was colour coordinated. Feeling outdone, Akashi decided to return to her bedroom and tidy up her vanity and closet.

As she organised she noticed the silver locket hanging off a small tree on her vanity table, she reached over and touched the necklace, there was something she'd been meaning to do for a while but kept forgetting.

XXX

Niou sighed in frustration as his mobile repeated the same monotoned female voice which said that the number he had dialled was disconnected, he had called Akashi's home phone, mobile and even her second mobile number which she only used when she was doing something suspicious. She didn't respond to his emails or texts, and when he went over to her home in the morning, another family was living there. Niou had also gone to the school office and fished out her student record from the computer, he quickly printed it out and got the hell out but when he later went to read it, the form said that she was still a student at Rikkai, yet her student file and transcripts had been processed and transferred elsewhere. No where did it say where they had gone, he was tempted to go back to the office and demand to know what idiot did the filing but he couldn't, they didn't know he had a copy of the office keys. Akashi had completely disappeared off the face of the earth.

His frustration was evident during morning training, he was distracted and more aggressive than usual, Yagyuu was worried about his doubles partner but when he went to ask him what was wrong he flatly denied it. It seemed all the regulars had noticed, all but Sanada who was in his own way distracted as well. Sanada was constantly on his mobile sending texts back and forth with his girlfriend, due to their schedules neither of them had the luxury of time to go on dates or sit down and talk on the phone, their main form of communication was through text messaging. It worked out for the better for Sanada as he had the time to really think about what he was texting, and while he was rather quiet in person, he was quite chatty in a hundred and fifty characters or less.

"Do you think he's texting Yukimura?" Marui asked Kuwahara, Sanada usually kept his phone in his bag during school hours, however they'd noticed recently he aways had it on him in his pocket.

"Maybe, plotting our demise," replied Kuwahara.

"Maybe Sanada has a girlfriend," Kirihara suggested in jest, the three of them laughed at the mere though but quickly stopped to consider it, did he?

XXX

Akashi had tied her hair up in a pony tail and put on a pair of dark rimmed oval glasses, she wore a plain white business shirt and black jeans with a pair of low heels, the whole attire made her look a few years older. As she entered the law firm, the receptionist was initially unimpressed by her appearance due to her young age but the very expensive handbag and designer clothes made her change her mind.

"Ca I help you?" she asked with a fake smile. Akashi smiled back, putting her bag on the counter she replied.

"I need to see Inukai-san please."

"Oh, did you have an appointment?" The receptionist quickly went to check one of the named partner's schedule.

"No, tell him it's Akashi, he'll know who I am," said Akashi in her most cold and arrogant voice, she went to sit down and waited as the receptionist proceeded to call Inukai's secretary. After a short while, a short and balding man in a expensive suit hurried out of his office.

"Akashi-san, how have you been?" he said in his most arse licking voice.

"Good," she replied. "I was hoping on picking up the paperwork for the deed to the property."

"O-Of course, would you like to come in and sit down-"

"No thanks," Akashi cut him off. "I'm headed to be somewhere else."

XXX

Niou laid on his bed once again looking through Akashi's student transcripts, every number he had tried to contact her lead to a dead end, giving up he almost tossed the papers to the ground when he noticed the signature on one of forms, it was on some type of legal document written in english, Niou didn't understand it but the lawyer's signature read as Inukai Shintaro. Recognising the name, Niou hurried to his desk and opened the secret compartment underneath one of the cupboards, he retrieved an A4 envelope containing his mother's will. Opening it, he flipped through the pages til he reached the document that detailed his trust fund, per his mother's instructions the apartment was to be sold and the money put into a trust that would be paid out in monthly instalments for Niou's education and living expenses, when he reached 25 or got married, whichever came first, the whole sum would be made accessible to him. The lawyer his mother used to set up his trust worked for a firm called 'Inukai and Hajime', the same firm that handled Akashi's legal documentation, for what, he didn't know. As he took a closer look at the proof of sale of the apartment, the same law firm popped up.

Niou reached for his keys, where he still kept the key to his old apartment which he shared with his mother.

XXX

Akashi carried the documents Inukai gave him carefully in her handbag, she had brought the apartment from Niou's mother after she had died, the amount she paid was almost double it's market value but she knew where the money would end up, she had taken many precautions that his Aunt didn't know that the sum paid was too much. It felt strange holding the keys to the apartment which had been her second home, whenever things were tough, it became her sanctuary. While she told herself she'd gotten it so that Niou would have a safety net for his future, the real reason was that she couldn't bear letting someone else live there. It was a special place with special memories.

Akashi climbed the very familiar flight of stairs to the apartment, almost uncertain, she carefully placed the key into the keyhole and turned, she was almost surprised that the lock actually opened. Taking a deep breath in she reached for the handle and opened the door.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Akashi sat alone on the apartment's wooden floorboards, she had a bottle of wine to herself, her mobile phone beside her, she already knew that she'd spend the evening drinking and eventually end up calling Itan to pick her up. She looked around, it hadn't changed one bit, it was just empty of all the furnishings that a home would normally have. Akashi eyes started to tear up as she visited memory lane.

_The sound of a man __yelling, Akashi was huddled up in a corner hiding from the man._

_"Enough," she heard Niou's mother shout. "Get out of my home! Satsuki is staying here tonight and until you calm down you're not going anywhere near her.  
_

_"You dare!? She's-"_

_"I dare," her voice cut through his like a knife. "You know what I have, and I'll use it to protect her, I'll send you and your goons to jail! You think secrets died with Hotaru!? Well I can take you down just like she could! The girl has just lost a mother, her father might as well be dead, I'm the only family she has left. And if you want to fight me on this, I dare you to try! But you won't win, I guarantee you!"_

_A ten year old Niou walked up to the trembling Akashi, he knelt beside her and hugged her tightly. "You're okay," he told her. "You're safe here, we'll protect you."_

Tears trickled down Akashi's cheeks, she reached for the wine and drank straight from the bottle, she was never one for manners. Akashi fiddled with the silver locket around her neck, Niou's mother was like a fiery goddess to her. She never gave up, she was strong and beautiful, Akashi practically worshiped the ground she walked on. Niou adored his mother, she had raised him by herself, juggling a child with school and working part time to support themselves, Akashi had no idea how she did it.

Akashi was barely five when they first met, in the cold white rooms of the numerous hospitals she'd been in Akashi had all but closed herself off from the world. She was dying, she heard the doctors say, an incurable immune disease they told her mother, she would die if she didn't have a bone marrow transplant. But neither her mother or father were a match, nor were any of her other relatives. It was Niou's mother who had donated her bone marrow to save her life and she would always be grateful. Soon after the transplant Akashi's weak body grew stronger, she was no longer constantly tired, she could finally run without shortness of breath, she no longer suffered headaches and every little cut or scratch on her was no longer life threatening.

The little bubble she lived in expanded and her first ever friend was Niou, he often snuck out of day care to play with her, however she soon moved back to Russia once she was discharged from hospital. Akashi's childhood memories were blurry, probably from all the medication she needed to take, but when she turned eight her mother took her back to Japan where she attended elementary school with Niou and later Rikkaidai's middle school section.

XXX

Niou tucked his hands into the pockets of his coat, he cursed the cold as he hurried up the stairs to his old apartment, he hadn't been back since his mother's funeral, nothing had changed yet everything had. Once he reached door he hesitated, he placed his key into the keyhole and tried to opened the door.

XXX

The sound of the door knob turning startled Akashi, she put down the bottle and slowly made her way to the door, peering through the peephole she gasp when she saw Niou outside. Akashi smiled to herself, he looked well, but there was strain in his expression, what was wrong? Akashi wondered. Niou was never the type to let things weigh on him. She wanted to reach out and smother out that little crease between his brows. Silently she watched him.

XXX

The door wouldn't open, Niou cursed himself for his stupidity, of course the new owners had changed the locks. He sighed and turned to leave.

Inside the house Akashi's mobile phone started to ring, she hurried back to her handbag and quickly answered as the ringtone might have caught Niou's attention. "Hello?" she asked.

"Shouldn't you be in bed little princess?" asked the voice on the other end.

"And yet you call," Akashi replied, she heard a rough, deep laugh in response.

"True, where's that silent one that's always following you around?"

"Not sure, why?"

"I got what you asked for, wasn't easy you know, cost me a pretty penny."

"You owe me," said Akashi. "Big time."

"I know, I was just complaining, you can come pick it up whenever."

"I still don't get why you're calling me."

"Huh? Oh, I couldn't get in touch with Itan, he's not answering his phone."

"What?" Akashi quickly stood up, Itan was never out of reach. "I'll call you back," she said hanging up, quickly she called Itan herself, no response. Akashi felt her heart sank, something was wrong.

XXX

"You idiot," Akashi said again as she glared down at Itan's incapacitated form.

"I'm glad you care," Itan replied as he laid on a hospital bed in Kanai general.

"What happened?" Akashi asked sitting down on the bed beside him. Itan's leg was wrapped up in a cast, there were scratches and grazes all over him as well as several deep cuts from a knife that had to be stitched up.

"I fell," he answered lamely. Akashi glared at him. "There was a small scuffle," he admitted. Her stare did not soften. "Alright a few guys jumped me on my way home."

"You're leg is broken and you needed almost forty stitches," Akashi told him in a level tone. "You could have died you idiot!" she shouted, Itan waited for her to get angrier and prepared for her verbal abuse, however to his surprise Akashi started to tear up and cry. "You idiot, who the hell gave you permission to get the shit beaten out of you," she weeped. Itan almost instinctively reached out and hugged her, pulling her closer he patted her shoulder reassuringly.

"I'm fine, I've had worse," Itan assured her, when she continued to cry he tried humour. "You should see the other guys." It worked and Akashi chuckled between sobs. "I'm fine, I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere, you're not alone okay?" Akashi silently nodded against his chest.

"He did this," she said quietly. Itan felt a sudden change in her demeanour, she was angry, very angry. "He did this," she repeated pulling away from Itan. "He did this to you, because of Niou, he had you beaten to send him a message."

"Satsuki no," said Itan. "You don't know that, I'm in a dangerous line of work, for all I know it was a disgruntled client."

"You're a hitman not a loan shark," Akashi replied. "All you're clients are dead." Itan scoffed at her logic. "I have money," she said quietly.

"Satsuki we've had this conversation," Itan warned.

"So it's done and over?" asked Akashi. "I have millions, hundreds of millions in offshore accounts, property, stocks, gold, diamonds everything, we don't need you working for the yakuza, the triad or the mafia or all those crime syndicates to get by."

"The moment you touch any of those funds, it'll be like throwing a pebble into a pond and he'll come looking for you," Itan warned. "We'll have to leave, you know that!"

"Then let's leave," replied Akashi. "There is nothing holding me here, nothing. I haven't even unpacked all my bags, we can be on a plane to Paris in an hour!"

"Nothing keeping you here? What about that boyfriend of yours"?" asked Itan, Akashi stopped, she'd almost all but forgotten about Sanada. "I've watched you grow up, he's the first guy who's age appropriate or not bad news, he's good for you, he's…stable and-"

"Consistant, he's sweet, kind, disciplined," Akashi finished for him with a small smile. "Gen is a good person."

"Just bringing him up make you light up, Satsuki-"

"You're more important," Akashi cut him off.

"Sat-"

"No, you're more important," Akashi repeated, she crawled up against him and buried herself in his arms. "You're more important, family is more important," she whispered.

"Satsuki," Itan sighed and looked at her small delicate frame in his arms, he opened his mouth to say something but no words came out, resigned he leaned forward and kiss her on the temple and then her cheek. "Silly girl," he scold. Akashi smiled almost reverting back to the little girl with scary nightmares.

XXX

Yukimura was awoken by the sound of an ambulance pulling in to the emergency room, while Kanai General was a hospital it was privately owned and funded, thus late night emergencies were rare, whoever was in that car either had a lot of money or was someone very important. He could hear the nurse gossiping in the hallway, sitting up he listened.

"Who is he?"

"A Yakuza boss?"

"Too young-"

"Too handsome as well, did you see those cheekbones?"

"I heard his leg was practically shattered-"

"Gang violence-"

"Fifty stitches-"

"The guys who jumped him-"

"Never gonna walk again-"

"Paralysed-"

"Broken jaw, nose and pelvis-"

Yukimura yawned, needing a drink he made his way down the stairs to the vending machines where he heard a very familiar voice.

"Then let's leave," he heard the voice say. "There is nothing holding me here, nothing. I haven't even unpacked all my bags, we can be on a plane to Paris in an hour!" Yukimura stopped and peeped through the small gap left open at the door to see Akashi sitting on the hospital bed of a dark haired male, he instantly recognised him as Itan, Niou's friend who he met not to long ago.

"Nothing keeping you here? What about that boyfriend of yours"?" asked Itan. "I've watched you grow up, he's the first guy who's age appropriate or not bad news, he's good for you, he's…stable and-" The decription was familiar.

"Consistant, he's sweet, kind, disciplined," Akashi finished for him with a small smile. "Gen is a good person." Yukimura's eye's widened in shock, the two of them were dating? Yukimura had heard Kirihara and a few of the other regulars speculating to a girlfriend, but Akashi?

"Just bringing him up make you light up, Satsuki-" Itan's face looked pleading, in the past minute Yukimurad had seen more facial expression on the man than during the whole opening ceremony.

"You're more important," Akashi cut him off.

"Sat-"

"No, you're more important," Akashi repeated, she crawled up against him and buried herself in his arms.

"Satsuki," Yukimura watched as Itan kissed her, his head blocking Yukimura's view. "Silly girl," he scold.

Yukimura took a step back, what was going on? Sanada and Akashi were dating? And that Akashi was cheating on him with Itan?


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

"First the thing with Itan and now this," sighed the suit clad male sitting with Akashi who was eating a large chocolate sunday at a small cafe. "You are a slave driver little lady." Akashi smiled almost apologetically and put down her spoon.

"Don't complain Rihan-san," she replied. "I'm paying aren't I?" Her companion laughed, he was in his thirties, his chin and jaw covered with stubble, Akashi would almost consider him handsome had it not been for the scars running down the left side of his face which were covered by his long hair and the numbers tattoos covering his body.

"This time," said Rihan. "You're right, fake papers are no trouble, I'll need photos to put on passports and such." Akashi reached into her pocket and pulled out several photos of herself and Itan, they'd each been altered slightly so that no one would instantly make the connection that they were of the same people, in one Akashi had lightened Itan's hair to its former light brown and photo shopped in a beard in another. "You're quite the talented girl aren't you?" Rihan commented as he examined her work.

"It's how I got you out of trouble in the first place isn't it?" said Akashi with her sweetest smile.

"These will work fine," Rihan concluded as he pocketed the photos. "Are you leaving Japan little princess?" Akashi momentarily froze but she quickly recovered. "Don't worry sweetheart, you're very good at what you've been doing, I just know you well enough to know when shit's about to go down."

"Itan refuses to budge though," Akashi said with a sigh. Just the other day he'd promised to leave with her at a moments notice.

"He's a sensible lad, he must have his reasons, maybe there's a way for you to avoid your current dilemma," said Rihan. "You will be surely missed, my boys need a good kick up the arse once a while."

"It's unsettling to hear a yakuza say that," Akashi remarked with a small smile, she thought about Hyotei and Sanada. "I don't want to leave, I only just settled in again."

"Well then don't leave," said Rihan casually as he stood up, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. "On me," he said putting down more than enough money to cover her sunday on the table.

"Thank you," Akashi replied. "I'll wire the funds the usual way," she paused and thought for a moment. "I'll throw in a few extra security methods this time, just in case."

"The money you send is always as clean as snow and utterly untraceable," Rihan assured her. "If I thought for even a moment you'd accept I'd ask you to clean up our funds. Well, have a good day little lady."

"Good bye Rihan-san," Akashi said as he left, she reached for her ice cream sunday and slowly started eating. Akashi had set aside a long time ago some funds that couldn't be traced back to her or anyone for that matter, it was enough to buy their apartment, Niou's former home, pay for tuition and all her other expenses but they were fighting a war with no end in sight. Itan was right in having her preserve the majority of her current funds for an emergency but she didn't want him to go back into the dark and dangerous world where he'd practically grown up in. Akashi needed access to an indefinite amount of money, which she had, but the moment she made a transfer it would send out an alert more prominent than the bat signal.

Akashi sighed, she knew there was no point in hiding who was touching the money, but she could disguise where the money was going, as Rihan said, she was very good at hiding funds, one of the many talents learnt from listening in on her mother and father's meetings and their various associates, since they thought of her as just a kid, they would answer all her questions without a second thought to the consequences. It seemed like an almost impossible task, however the image of Itan trapped in a hospital bed came to mind, she needed to protect him. She just knew it was his fault that Itan was injured, regardless of what story Itan was trying to spin. He was going to pay.

"Satsuki?" asked a male voice, Akashi looked up to see Sanada walking towards her, a small smile quickly spread across her lips.

"Gen?" she replied. Akashi checked her watch, it was evening now, Akashi had met with Rihan right after training, she knew Sanada was the type to stay behind long after everyone left, something she had long accepted as a part of their relationship, which made her wonder, why was he here?

"Hey," said Sanada sitting down where Rihan sat, Akashi casually moved the money on the table away as she leaned in and kissed him quickly.

"Hi, what are you doing in these parts now?" she asked. Sanda held up his sports bag.

"My racquet strings broke so I couldn't train. I'm here to have them restrung, Marui recommended a store here so I thought I'd give them a go, just waiting for them to finish, it'll probably take a few more hours."

"Hours? How long does it take to restring a raquet."

"The main factor here is that it's not just one," replied Sanada. "It's six." Akashi almost choked on her ice cream. What type of training was he doing?

"And did all these racquets decide to break on the same day? What a bother," she remarked sarcastically. Sanada didn't seem to hear it and replied.

"Yeah, I know."

Akashi took a good look at her boyfriend, it felt like forever since they'd last met, and it had been, texts and phone calls were their main means of communication, she'd had one boyfriend previously and that relationship ended in complete disaster. They barely saw each other, Akashi thought back to what caused her last relationship to end, and it was a lack of communication. Akashi prioritised the tennis club and Niou before him, as much as she hated to admit it, but it was ninety percent her fault, she had neglected him and eventually he became just an after thought. She didn't want the same thing to happen with Sanada, he made her smile, he made her laugh, he was one of those few good men out there, and he deserved better.

"What's wrong?" asked Sanada when he noticed her starring at him, Akashi smiled, she scoped a spoonful of ice cream and offered it to him.

"Ahh," she said. Sanada smiled, he leaned forward and in one big bite ate the whole thing, Akashi giggled at the image of the usually impeccable Sanada with ice cream on his upper lip. "Here," she reached for a napkin and wiped the ice cream off, Sanada smiled, slightly embarrassed. "Good?" Akashi asked.

"I don't really eat sweets," Sanada replied. "But it wasn't bad."

"Then have more," Akashi replied and she picked up another gigantic chunk of ice cream on her spoon to feed to him. Her smile faltered. Watching Sanda, Akashi thought to herself that he deserved better, a girl with no troubles, no shadow lingering above her, a normal girl. But she didn't want to let him go, she had first approached him as a ploy to keep him quiet about her presence to Niou, she knew if the two became closer Sanada would feel guilty about her fall out with her best friend and keep his mouth shut about Hyotei. Akashi had slipped up already to Yukimura when she visited him months ago, perhaps it was because she worried about her friend that caused it, but she knew Yukimura, he wouldn't say anything to anyone.

Akashi didn't want to leave Japan, but she didn't want Itan to put himself in harms way because of her, if her plan worked, then she could have both the money and Sanada, if it didn't, she'd have to leave without saying good bye, she didn't want to hurt him, but she knew she would eventually. It was only a matter of when. Sanada was one of the good ones, and a guy like that deserved a lot better…

"Gen, we need to talk," she said at last after much though.

XXX

"You okay?" asked Atobe to a puffy and red eyed Akashi, she had cried herself to sleep the night before, Sanada took the break up surprisingly well, so well that it broke her heart all over again every time she thought about it. He was trying so hard to make her not worry, so damn hard, even though she was the one breaking his heart.

"I'm fine," Akashi replied, she shifted in her seat on the coach's bench, turning her head so Atobe couldn't keep starring at her face.

"Heart break?" Atobe guessed. Not wanting him to keep on prying Akashi snapped at him.

"Shut up," she said harshly, Atobe was surprised at the amount of anger in her voice, so she did break up with her boyfriend? he guessed, now he felt bad about wanting to know who he was… but he still wanted to know.

"You okay?" he asked again.

"I'm fine," Akashi repeated. "The prefectuals are this weekend, don't be distracted." Atobe silently watched the assistant coach of Hyotei, something was on her mind, she was agitated and distracted like she had been for the past week or so but even more so today. Akashi was the type of person who bottled everything up he noticed, he wasn't the only one it seemed, Atobe spotted Ootori's concerned eyes following her also.

"He's a good kid," he said to himself, echoing Akashi's previously words, and they rung true, once training was over Atobe watched as Ootori cornered Akashi behind the regular lockers, Akashi was clearly upset, Ootori silently wrapped his arms around his senpai and she began to quietly weep in his arms.

"What's going on?" asked Oshitari noticing that the tennis captain standing still.

"Nothing," Atobe quickly replied, he took a good look at his friend. Oshitari was good looking enough, smart, caring, but despite all that Atobe shook his head and patted his friend on the shoulder. "You've got some tough competition," he said to Oshitari's confusion.

XXX

"You're not going to tell me what's wrong?" asked Ootori. He and Akashi sat side by side alone in the tennis club's changing rooms, while it smelt like sweat and feet, the two had raided Ootori's collection of sweets that he'd kept in his locker, although he'd obtained it only the week before, it was already filled to the brink with lollies.

"No," Akashi said sullenly.

"Okay," Ootori replied, it was one of the things Akashi enjoyed about his company, he never asked questioned, he just accepted things as they were, while this trait had its upsides, it caused her endless worry, to the point where the two had devised a system where he would call or text her to ask if something was okay or not. The two didn't speak for a long period of time, just sitting and eating snacks.

"I'm thinking of getting a dog," Akashi said suddenly.

"What?"

"A dog," she repeated.

"Yeah, I heard, but why?" asked Ootori, she shrugged.

"Company?" she answered. "I'm alone in the apartment now and it's just…lonely. Maybe if I had a dog I won't be so lonely."

"That tall guy I met that time at your apartment is gone?" Ootori questioned, he'd met Itan who was on his way to Korea when he had gone to water Akashi's plants.

"Yeah," said Akashi with a sigh. "But I'm fickle, and I'm gone for long periods of time, and I might leave soon anyway, so I don't know…maybe the dog will die of loneliness as well…" Ootori thought for a moment.

"I have a dog," he remarked. "A puppy actually, got it as the start of the year."

"What breed?" Akashi asked, although she already had a fair idea.

"A white golden retriever," Ootori answered. Akashi bursted out into laughter, she had hit the nail on the head. "What?"

"Nothing," Akashi answered. "Is it fun having a puppy?"

"Yeah, I guess, I take him running with me when I train."

"What's his name? Wait…" Akashi pondered the question and Ootori's personality. "Momo?" she guessed.

"No," Ootori replied.

"What is it them?" He blushed and stammered while answering.

"Reo," he said quietly causing Akashi to descend into a fit of giggles.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

"Can we get something to eat?" asked Mukahi as he and Oshitari left the front gates of Hyotei gakuen with Ootori tagged along behind them. Mukahi seemed to have taken the second year under his wing.

"Now?" asked Oshitari, he checked his watch. "I've got violin class after this."

"I've got to get home also," Ootori answered.

"Come one," his best friend pleaded. "Just one bite before we head home?" he asked in his most adorable voice, Oshitari and Ootori exchanged looks, finally Oshitari sighed and just nodded his head.

"Sure," he replied.

"Yay!" Mukahi cheered, they turned the corner when they spotted Akashi not too far away, the atmosphere around her was tense, causing them to stop. "She okay?" Akashi was clearly upset, whoever she was with was in the shadow while she stood underneath the streetlights, Oshitari couldn't see his face, only that he was in a very expensive looking suit.

Akashi glared at Rihan who seemingly shrugged off her anger.

"Don't be pissed," he pleaded with a smile. "You said you needed it right away, so here I am." Rihan held up a brown envelope and waved it in front of her face, Akashi quickly snatched the envelope from him and opened to check its contents. "Creating fake identities is one thing," he continued as she examined the items carefully. "You just need a few items, a passport, drivers licences, the basics. Stealing one, now that's a challenge, cause you need access to the originals. You know how hard it is to break into someone's home without being detected?"

"I know, and I don't know why you're complaining, after all I was the one who did the breaking and entering," Akashi replied coldly.

"And a mightily job you did, so tell me, why do you need to be this girl for the day?" he asked.

"Need to know," Akashi said as she hide the items in her bag. "And you don't."

"So harsh-"

"Satsuki!" she heard someone shout, Rihan tensed beside her, Akashi turned to se Mukahi, Oshitari and Ootori walking up towards them. "You okay?" he asked glancing at the shady character with her.

"I'm hurt," Rihan remarked quietly.

"Shut up," Akashi snapped. "I'm fine."

"This is?" Oshitari asked. Rihan smiled at Akashi and waited for her response.

"This is, um, my, um-"

"Her boyfriend," Rihan said casually. "Although she's not too happy to call me that, fiesty one she is."

"Boyfriend?" echoed Mukahi, he could practically hear Oshitari's heart drop. Akashi wanted to grab Rihan by the hair and slam his face repeatedly into the brick wall that surround her middle school.

"Yeah," she finally said causing Rihan's smile to widen. "We were just leaving."

"Oh, I'll come with you!" Ootori quickly remarked using this chance to get away from Mukahi. "You're on your way to the train station right?"

"Um," Akashi tried to think of a response.

"Well let's go," Ootori said cheerfully. "Goodbye senpais!" he said as he almost dragged Akashi away. Rihan quietly followed.

"Bye?" replied Muhaki.

A few minutes of walking later Ootori stopped and looked back checking to see if Oshitari and Mukahi were still in sight, he sighed in relief.

"I'm so sorry about that Satsuki-san," he said.

"No problem?" Akashi answered.

"Mukahi seems to have an unlimited source of energy and I just can't keep up…" Akashi laughed lightly, Rihan watched their interaction closely.

"Once there's another new guy, he'll focus on him instead, don't worry," Akashi assured him. Ootori laughed nervously.

"Yeah, I guess, well you saved me, I'll leave you two alone then," Ootori smiled, bowed and left.

"He's cute," Rihan commented. Akashi rolled her eyes.

"Hands off," she warned him and chased after her kouhai.

"Well good bye to you too."

XXX

Atobe fidgeted in his new tailored made suit, he sat in the back seat of a car with his father beside him, dressed to the nine. Atobe Kaito was basically an older version of his son, he had a few wrinkles, grey hairs and a weathered face but all of it made him look distinguished. Atobe had been told growing up he was a spitting image of his father, the only difference being his blue eyes, which he had inherited from his mother.

"Why do I need to go to this thing?" he asked his father.

"The Rosneft group holds the largest share on the Russian petroleum and mineral trade, they're a hundreds of billions of dollars every year company Keigo, they're a major business partner for us," his father replied.

"So why am I here?" Atobe asked again.

"I hear Ivan's brother has a daughter," his father answered simply.

"So you want me to cosy up to her, what are you a pimp? Isn't the CEO's brother that Alexander guy, you know, husband of the former CEO and the former former CEO? The one that went crazy and tried to kill his daughter?"

"That's just a rumour," he father rebuffed.

"But isn't it true after that incident this Alexander disappeared?"

"Yes, but-"

"But what?"

"Nothing, just keep your mouth shut alright? This is their private showing of their new branch in Tokyo."

"Hasn't it been in use for a year already?"

"Yes."

"So basically they're just showing off?"

"…Yes."

"Hmmm."

"Keigo."

"Yeah?"

"Just keep your mouth shut," warned his father.

_o.O OMG! 20 chapters already, thanks for sticking with me this long!_


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Atobe stood beside his father, the picture perfect image of an heir to a multi-million dollar company, he kept his mouth shut, greeted people when need and kept a small smile on his face to keep himself looking friendly and approachable. Inside, he was bored out of his mind, while his father talked with business associates and acquaintances he just stood by his side. It was the promise of money and the lease of their family country home for a week that kept him from yawning.

The Rosneft group was a major player in the global market but they had little influence in Japan, which was where Atobe's father came in, they needed someone with strong roots to help get themselves started. Rosneft's CEO was a tall and stern looking man, he was about his father's age, perhaps younger, with light brown hair and sapphire blue eyes, with strong features and an incredible presence Atobe couldn't help but be reminded of his tennis coach Sakaki, they even dressed in a similar fashion. Atobe wondered around the halls, everything still had that new smell of plastic and glue, unable to resist he touched almost every mirrored surface, so he could satisfy a small and petty need inside him.

As he wandered the halls he spotted a very pretty employee with light brown hair and matching eyes, she wore a simple suit with a skirt and high heels to showed off her legs. Wile she walked towards him Atobe casually glance at her, her features were distinctly caucasian, however something was familiar about her, he recognised her perfume as she past him, the familiar blend of roses, lilies and lotus made him pause and double back.

XXX

Akashi walked confidently into the foyer of the building which housed the japanese branch of the Rosneft group, she was dressed in a suit like every other person in the building, her brown wig was tied up in a bun and her heels shone from their recent polish.

"Morning Ted," she heard the employees say the over weight security guard by the entrance as they swiped their ID cards to enter the building. Removing her own employee ID card she smiled and greeted the security guard.

"Good morning Ted," Akashi said to him as she swiped her card, he smiled back and waved her through when the small metal doors that blocked her way opened. Quickly she looked around and spotted a male employee carrying a bunch of folders and files with the Rosneft logo on it, as she walked past him she stepped on the hem of his pants causing him to fall when he tried to enter the elevator and drop everything he was carrying.

"Oh my," she gasped in perfect russian. "I'm am so sorry," Akashi apologised as she bent down and helped him pick everything up.

"Watch where you-" he began clearly upset, however this wavered when he looked up and saw a stunning girl help him pick up his files. "Um, it's fine," he assured her.

"No, let me help," she replied taking half the files and standing up, the employee picked up the rest and as he stood up his eyes travelled over her body.

"It's fine," he told her again, before he could say anything else she entered the elevator, he quickly followed her inside and the doors shut behind them. As the elevator needed a swipe card for it to move they looked at each other and laughed at their situation.

"Could you?" she asked indicating to the where the sensor and buttons were.

"S-sure," he replied, he dropped the files in his hands and reach into his pocket for his id and pressed it against the sensor, automatically the elevator started moving.

"I'm so sorry again," Akashi repeated with her sweetest smile.

"N-No, I wasn't paying attention either," the employee replied. "I-I'm Maxim," he added.

"Anna," Akashi replied using one of the more common russian names.

"I haven't seen you around," said Maxim. "Are you new here?"

"Me? As new as anyone else here I guess," she replied. "I'm just not usually in this late, this morning was hectic with the tours and everything."

"Y-yeah," Maxin aimlessly agreed. "Where were you originally?"

"Moscow," Akashi answered with a smile. "You?"

"I'm from the New York branch, they brought me in because I spoke a little japanese. This country is great though isn't it? The food is amazing."

"Yeah," Akashi agreed. "Especially the ramen." Maxim nodded earnestly, suddenly there was a ding sound and the doors opened. "I'm in a bit of a rush, do you mind if I-" and before he could respond she pushed the pile of files into his arms and quickly hurried out the door. Making it inside the building and to the elevator was easy enough, all it took was a little research and a few questions with an employee on of the other floors which gave her a basic understanding of how the security system worked. Stealing a pass for the building was easy enough, there were thousands of employees and things got lost all the time. However, getting past the front entrance and into the elevators was another thing, each firm had a specific and individual id card for all their employees. While Akashi had one that looked identical to all the others, it didn't have the basic functions that the real ones had, luckily for her it was a one way systems, none of the elevators required id cards to go down, only up.

Akashi followed a pre-memorised path around the office and paid no attention to anything or anyone else, stopping at an empty cubical in the very busy financial department, quietly she sat down and turned on the desktop, typing in a stolen username and password she logged onto the main server. Peering around to make sure no one noticed her, she saw all the employees hurry around busy with their own work. Akashi plugged in the USB which she had disguised as a cufflink and uploaded the necessary program onto the company's intranet before finally logging into a swiss bank account and draining every last cent of its funds. Akashi checked her watch as she logged off and pulled out the USB, she had five maybe ten minutes before anyone noticed that the money was gone. Putting her cufflink back on Akashi stood up, fixed her skirt and made her way towards the elevator. As much as she loved to stay and watch the turmoil unfold, she just couldn't risk it.

XXX

The atmosphere suddenly turned tense in the office, Atobe looked around, there were security guards everywhere all in a hurry to get somewhere, curious Atobe followed a panicking employee who looked like he was about to pass out. Staying out of sight he followed the man to one of the executive offices, in a rush he had forgotten to shut the door behind him, giving Atobe a very easy position to ears drop.

"-almost a billion dollars, gone!" Atobe heard a voice say in russian, he silently thanked his father for the private lessons.

"When did this happen?" said a deeper voice which Atobe recognised as the CEO's.

"A few minutes ago sir, if it weren't for the measures we were already taking the theft could have gone unnoticed for days."

"Can you trace the money?"

"We're in the mist of doing so right now."

"Good, that little bitch, she's really gone and done it. But now that she's on the radar, she can be easily found. I knew she was foolish, but so soon? Did she blow through all her existing funds already?"

"Sir, we've traced the money."

"Where is it?" There was no response. "Well?"

"H-Here sir." The was a dead silence.

"That bitch is in Japan!? Call security, shut down the building!"

"It's unlikely she's here in person Ivan," said a third voice. "She probably hired some or-"

"Is all the money accounted for?" asked the CEO cutting him off. Atobe heard the sound of frantic typing before the employee responded.

"T-the trails cold sire."

"What? What do you code?"

"The money entered the company, and then, it went so many places sir."

"Well money doesn't just disappear! Find it!"

"Yes sir!"

"Damn it, I should have let her father kill her when I had the chance." There was more frantic typing. "Well? Where is it?"

"T-the money sir?"

"No, you've balls! Yes the money!"

"It's still here, at least some of it, well, not anymore-"

"What do you mean?"

"S-she, well, she did something quite brilliant actually, she-"

"Spit it out."

"She divided the funds and transferred them into the petty cash accounts and withdrawal it all from there into various place, there's so many, I don't think we'd be able to follow them all, one in Russia, Australia, Korea, China, New York, Boston, everywhere sir. There's about a million US dollars in maybe a hundred accounts or so."

"That's only a tenth of a billion you imbecile, where's the rest-" Suddenly the lights in the building flickered and then shut down, there was gasps everywhere, when they came back on Atobe heard a lot of cursing.

"I-I've lost the trail…"

"What do you mean lost?"

"When that blackout hit just down, I momentarily lost my trace on the money, now it's gone… I don't know where it went, any of it, it's gone, just vanished, all of it…" Atobe flinched at the sound of someone being hit.

"Well find it!"

"I-I can't sir, I'm sorry, the money could have been bounced off thousands of different accounts, across countries even sir…"

"You useless, piece of-"

And that was enough for Atobe, he hurried away from the sound of glass smashing, things breaking and a person's screams of pain. Shaken by what he had just heard, he decided to head back to his father, as he past the elevator he spotted the same female before.

"Hey!" He called out to her. She flinched but didn't respond and silently stepped onto an elevator. "Hey! Wait!" Atobe called out to her again, the elevator doors close, he check one of the signs beside the elevators and saw that it was an express, used exclusively by Rosneft employees and headed straight to the ground floor. Atobe furiously pressed the downward button again and again, to his luck another express was available and he quickly got in and closed the doors before anyone else could get on. After what felt like forever, the elevator finally reached the ground floor, Atobe raced out the moment the doors opened, he wasted a few seconds swiping his visitor pass to get out of the building, but there was only one main exist. Once outside he looked around, he quickly spotted the light brown hair in a sea of black.

"Hey!" he shouted after her. "Stop!"

XXX

Damn it! Did he recognise her? Akashi wondered as she hurried down the footpath, she cursed her high heels for slowing her down, she could hear Atobe voice calling out to her, not looking back, she turned the corner and kept on moving until she was certain she had lost him. Still distracted and constantly looking over her shoulder, Akashi didn't pay much attention to her surrounding, when she heard someone call out her name, without thinking she walked to cross the road while the light was still red.

"Satsuki-san!" Akashi heard a voice shout, she looked to see a car moving towards her, she couldn't react fast enough, certain she was going to be hit she closed her eyes when someone suddenly grabbed her arm and yanked her back. She fell, hitting the side walk, she could smell blood, but the adrenaline prevented her from feeling where. "You okay? Satsuki?" asked the same voice, Akashi opened her eyes and looked up to see Ootori smiling down at her. "Hello," he said plainly.

"Hi," was all she could say in reply.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

"You're not going to ask?" question Akashi. She had tried to run when she realised that it was Ootori who had saved her but the boy was deceptively fast, he'd quickly caught up to her and to prevent her from running again he picked her up and carried her to his house.

"Would you tell me the truth?" Ootori asked back, carrying her with one are he reached into his pocket and pulled out his house key, Akashi was almost offended at how easily he'd lifted her up like a sack of flour. Ootori's home was a wide and spacious mansion, the most prominent feature of the home was how light the rooms seemed to be, with whole walls made of glass and chestnut floorboards, it seemed to almost reflect Ootori himself.

"Is no one home?" Akashi wondered as she looked around. Ootori carried her up the stairs to him bed room and placed her down on his bed.

"Not right now," Ootori replied. "My father's at a concert in Italy, Mother's in England for work and my brother and sister moved out last year for university." Akashi looked around the sophomore's bedroom, it was exactly as she had pictured it, clean, neat, everything tidy and organised and a whole wall dedicated to tennis. It was covered with posters, newspaper clippings and autographs from Ootori's favourite tennis players. She even guessed that there would be no medals or trophies in the room, he was a modest child after all.

While Akashi took in her surroundings Ootori had gone into his en suite bathroom and filled a large plastic bowl with warm water, her carried it and a few towels to where Akashi was sitting and placed them at her feet.

"Leg," he said rather coldly, and before Akashi could respond Ootori had dipped one of the towels in the water and began to wipe away the blood and clean the cuts and bruises on her body.

"Hey!" Akashi gasped, in reflex she pulled her leg back but he kept his grip firm on her ankle. "What are you doing?" she demanded.

"What you seem to neglect," Ootori replied angrily. "Taking care of yourself!" Akashi's eyes widened in shock at the anger in his voice. "I'm sorry," he said after a long silence. "I'm just…"

"No," Akashi said quietly. "Thank you," she added before taking a towel, dampening it and wiping the heavy makeup from her face. Ootori kept looking down, a little ashamed at his outburst, he couldn't bring himself to look her in the eyes. "This is new, you're usually so cool and calm."

"Cool? Me?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied gently kicking him with her toe. "Always, I've never really seen you angry. Even when those dick head sub and pre regulars gave you shit about being promoted and stuff, you just walked away. And that time those other jerks were trying provoke you into a fight." Akashi decided to leave out the part where she had followed up on their offer and beat them up herself.

"Oh, that." Ootori shrugged. "It's just that I…I don't really care to be honest." His response drew out a sudden flood of concern from Akashi for her puppy eyed friend but he put down the towel that he'd been using and said. "None of these are deep, but that one has be worried," Ootori gently touched the skin around the cut on Akashi's forehead, he pushed back the fringe of her wig she flinched and pulled away.

"Wait," she reached up and removed the pins that secured her wig and let her own hair down.

"You better with black hair and no makeup," Ootori commented casually. He took another towel and wiped away the last of the makeup from her face before turning it over to soak up the last of the blood that was still tickling down her face.

"That's sweet," Akashi replied.

"I think we should get you to a hospital," said Ootori. "That cut's still bleeding and it looks pretty deep."

"No, I'm fine," Akashi assured him. "No hospitals." Ootori sensed the sudden tension in her body, what was she afraid of. "Besides, I don't have my wallet or anything on me." She had thrown away her wallet while she was running from Atobe in case he did catch up to her, in it was all her fake IDs and a burner phone which she had prepared in case of emergencies.

"It's fine, my family's hospital isn't too far away, we can get someone to help you there." Akashi quickly ran down the list of all the hospitals nearby, her mind jumped to one in particular.

"Which one?" she asked, praying her assumption was incorrect.

"Kanai general."

XXX

"Wait here," said Ootori leaving Akashi alone in the ER of Kanai general hospital, she kept her eyes peeled, worried someone might visit Yukimura or that Itan might decide to take a stroll and ask about the cut on her forehead, he had a worse temper than her. After a minute or so Ootori returned, with him a doctor in his early to mid thirties. "Satsuki-san, this is Dr Minami."

"Hello," said Akashi, she tried to stand but the blood loss made her feel giddy and she stumbled, Ootori quickly caught her.

"Hello there," Dr Minami replied. "Sit down," he insisted, Akashi did as she was told and let the doctor took a look at her cut. "Good news is that you won't need stitches," he said after a short examination. "But I'd like to get some glue there to hold the flesh together, do you want to come with me this way?" he asked leading her to an empty bed. Ootori kept a gentle grip on her arm as he helped her across the busy room. "So you want to tell me what happened?" asked Dr Minami as he carefully sealed the wound on Akashi's forehead with what strangely looked just like a small squeeze tube of superglue. "This is the first time my nephew has brought a bleeding girl to this ER, a few teammates maybe. So what's the story?" Akashi's mind was too rattled to make up a lie.

"She fell," said Ootori. "We were crossing the street and a car was speeding down the road, I managed to pull her out of the way but she fell." It was basically the truth.

"You okay?" asked Dr Minami, Ootori nodded but the doctor noticed a few cuts and scraps on his arms and legs, Akashi felt a twinge of guilt build up inside her, she hadn't even thought to ask him if he was all right, he'd always seemed…fine. "Make sure to clean and dress those when you get home okay? Well, hopefully lesson learned. Pay attention to the road okay?" Dr Minami told Akashi who nodded.

"Yes sir," she replied. The doctor prescribed her some painkillers for her cut, the busy ER was filled with people, not wanting to get in the way she decided to wait outside while Ootori filled her prescription. As she sat outside in the cold she felt her second phone vibrate. "Hello?"

"You're still alive I see," said Rihan on the other line.

"Yes, the program worked perfectly, I'll wire you your share tomorrow morning," Akashi replied, she was exhausted and just wanted a shower and a nap.

"No hurry, how does it feel to be a multi-millionaire?" Akashi laughed.

"Well I've always been rich, so I pretty much feel the same as before, just… lighter," she answered. "Itan's going to discharged soon, he's not going to be happy with me but at least he won't have to go back."

"Don't be too sure," said Rihan. "Sometimes men like him stay for the money, other times for the thrill. But more importantly, he has access to information obtained the less…proper way."

"We don't need it," Akashi said firmly. "I'll lock him in a cage if I have to." Rihan laughed.

"That's an interesting image darling…you still leaving?" he almost sounded upset.

"No," Akashi assured him. "Not yet, I promised my Uncle I'd stay here until high school graduation. And I'll do my best to keep it… but no guarantees." Akashi sighed, her mind had jumped to Sanada. Now that she was more certain of her future, she was tempted to call him, he'd forgive her, she knew he would, because he was kind despite what Niou had to say.

"You okay?" asked Rihan.

"Yeah," but her voice broke.

"Princess, what's wrong?"

"Have you ever just felt so angry and frustrated that all you want to do is cry because there is nothing you can do to change anything?" she asked him.

"All the time, I felt it the other day when I handed you those documents," Rihan replied gently. "Itan's fine, battered and bruised maybe, but you don't know if it has anything to do with you. Itan isn't exactly the most pleasant guy on the planet."

"Can you find out?" Akashi asked hopefully. Rihan silently considered the request.

"For you? Of course," he replied. She let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you," said Akashi, her voice warm and full of emotion. Rihan silently cursed himself, why did he agree?

"I'll call you when I have news then," he said and quickly hung up.

Ootori stood by the doorway of the hospital, he didn't want to interrupt but in the end all he did was eavesdrop on her conversation. She looked so tired and frail sitting alone, shivering in the cold, he needed to help her. Mustering up his strength Ootori took off his coat, walking up to Akashi he draped it over her shoulders.

"Done," he said with a smile when she looked up. "Here," he handed her a small box in a brown paper bag.

"Thanks," Akashi replied meekly. Why was she going to leave? Ootori pondered. Why was she so upset? Fustrated about knowing nothing he picked her up in his arms. "What are you doing?" Akashi demanded in her usual familiar commanding tone. What would he do if he couldn't hear this voice again?

"I'm carrying you home."

XXX

Atobe kept eyeing Akashi suspicious, so much so she kept checking to see if there was something on her face or if her shorts were riding up her arse. Oshitari, Mukahi, Ootori, Shishido all seemed to also notice.

"What!" Akashi finally demanded at the end of the morning training session. They were in the regular's locker rooms, most of the guys were changing but Akashi's presence there had become so common they weren't even self conscious or embarrassed anymore, except for Ootori. Akashi was helping take measurements for a few of the members for a new set of Hyotei jerseys, and of course they were all to be custom made.

"Nothing," Atobe replied, he acted as if she was the over behaving strangely.

"What did you do?" asked Oshitari once Atobe was out of range.

"Nothing," Akashi lied to the best of her ability. Did he see her that day? She remembered noticing him but she was so focused there was no reaction to his presence, it was only after as he chased her down the elevator did it register.

"Doesn't seem like nothing," Oshitari replied. He was right, Atobe seemed to be a daze for the whole day, he'd day dream, not pay attention to class and during the after school training session he put each shoe on the wrong foot. It wasn't until after dark while he, Oshitari, Ootori and Akashi were carrying things for Sakaki to his office that he finally asked.

"What were you up to yesterday?" asked Atobe. The four put down the boxes next to Sakaki's couch, Akashi opened them to make sure everything was there.

"Me? Why?" Akashi had spent the whole day preparing a lie.

"Nothing, curious is all, I spent the day being bored out of my mind at a so called private showing of some sort."

"Hmm, fun," she replied with a sarcastic smile. Akashi ushered them out of the office before locking the door. "Well I spent my day-"

"With me," Ootori interrupted, they all looked at him surprised. "What is it?" Akashi's hours of planning and refining went out the window.

"Together? Alone?" asked Oshitari.

"Really?" asked Atobe incredulously, Akashi didn't say anything but her eyes grew weary, what was he doing?

"Yeah, did you know that Satsuki-senpai becomes completely helpless after 7pm?" Ootori added. "She crossed the street when the light was red and almost got ran over."

"You okay?" Atobe turned his attention back to Akashi.

"F-fine," she lifted her bangs and showed the small flesh coloured bandage on her forehead which hide her cut. "Just a scratch is all."

Atobe's behaviour quickly regressed back to normal but he was still suspicious. There had been no reports of any type of theft from Rosneft, but if what he had heard was correct there was almost a billion US dollars missing. Even if Akashi wasn't involved he was curious.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Akashi paced in Sakaki's office, Atobe was snooping around the Rosneft group, she remembered when he was suspicious about her, but she had managed to befriend him and lessen his curiosity. But she had no way of conniving Atobe to stop now without giving away her secret, he'd keep digging until he found something, this was dangerous and needed to be stopped.

"You could kill him," Sakaki suggested casually, Akashi stopped to stare at him, however her expression seemed like she was actually considering the idea. "Or not, I need him, Kantou is around the corner and Prefectuals are tomorrow."

"He is like a dog on a scent," Akashi complained continuing her pacing.

"I thought you covered your tracks," Sakaki commented. "Also you look completely different from the photos of Svetlana, as least the ones on record. Impressively so I might add, how did you do it?"

"I dyed my hair and wore contacts whenever mother took me back to Russia," Akashi explained. "She used to photoshop the photos she sent back to relatives as well, since they only ever met me briefly, they only remembered the blonde hair and blue eyes."

"She knew you'd need to hide," said Sakaki sadly remembering Akashi's mother. "I don't know if she's a smart woman or a paranoid one."

"Even if Uncle were to walked past me on the street I doubt he'd recognise me," said Akashi. "But Atobe's smart, he'll get his hands on something and then he'll follow that lead to me."

"He has good instincts," said Sakaki casually. "How are you going to stop him this time?" Akashi thought about the plan she'd set up before the last time Atobe was on her trail.

"Your house is still being renovated right?" she asked her uncle.

"Yes. Why?"

"Nothing…much."

XXX

Akashi hurried across the school campus, she checked her watch, club activities ran longer than usual and even with the coach taking away most of the work load from her so that she could visit Itan at the hospital, by the time she got there she only had a couple of hours with him until visiting hours were over. She had specially ordered his favourite foods ahead of time so that she could walk into the restaurant, pick them up and leave in record time. She took her usual short cut between the green house and the music centre, it was a small alleyway, the same type where almost all the murders in movies happen.

The route was not particularly well know or used, the sun was setting and at this time normally only those involved in extracurricular activities were still on campus. However Akashi found herself cornered by six hyotei female students, three at the exit and three more sealed her way in. Akashi sighed, similar things had happened before, but she didn't have time for them now. Visiting hours were ending and she had paperwork to prepare for tomorrows prefectural tournament.

"Not now ladies," Akashi sighed as she came to a halt. "I'm not in the mood for games."

"Games? Who said anything about games?" asked the one with the most makeup, fake nails and hair extensions. Akashi sighed again, normally they'd exchange insults, then it'd get to the point where one of them lunged at her trying to claw out her eyeballs.

"Don't have time for this," Akashi warned them, she was late and impatient. "Just walk away before I beat the shit out of you all." As she predicted they shouted a few insults and lunged at her, Akashi dodged and blocked them, she was careful and gentle with them, after all they were just rich brats who seemed to mistake their parent's power for their own.

"I did a little digging," one of the girls sneered. "You used to go to Rikkai, who'd you have to fuck to leave that poor man's school?" Akashi easily ignored that.

"I really hate gold diggers like you," said another. "Whose money are you after bitch?" Again she ignored that.

"The slut thinks she better than us does she?" She did. "With those fake boob and come fuck me eyes, I bet they're not even real either are they? Colored contacts are cheap these days."

"So it plastic surgery apparently," Akashi shot back. "Don't think I didn't see those elementary school pictures, your eyes were a line and your nose the size of a small country. Don't even get me started on the facial hair, it looked like a rat died on your face." One of the girls gasped and covered her face, Akashi turned her attention to another girl. "And you, did your father leave you guys yet for his twenty year old mistress yet? No? Oh my, don't tell me you didn't know he was fucking a whore behind your mum's back?" Switching targets she continued. "And does your father know you had sex with both his brother and yours?" Akashi turned her attention on another girl. "Did fucking that teacher get you that A? Or was it just for a passing grade? And you, doe your boyfriend know what you look like without makeup?" she added to another.

"You think you're better than us don't you? Just because you have the boys fooled doesn't mean you've fooled us. I hear you're nothing but an orphan, where's your daddy? I hear your mom died two years ago, bet she dropped dead to get away from an ugly bastard like you." Akashi's eyebrow flinched. "That's right, bastard! Tell me, which relative are you playing doctor with for money and shelter?"

Akashi felt the flash of cold metal, out of reflex she quickly dodged and positioned herself with her back against the wall, so that no one would be able to sneak up from behind. She saw that one of the girls had bought with her a flick blade, and on the ground were a few strands of hair that failed to dodged the assault. Akashi's patience ended there and then, it was one thing to come at her with fists, claws, petty insults and hair pulling, it was another to bring in a weapon, not only a weapon but a knife that cut off some of her precious hair, something Akashi was quite vain and proud of, she was touché about her parents too.

"Oh you are so dead bitch!" Akashi growled as she dropped her bag on the ground.

XXX

Itan stared up at the white ceiling of his hospital room, he was bored, his broken leg was itchy and the nurse giving him a bath seemed to enjoy it too much. Akashi was late, not that there was a fixed time for her visits but she was usually here by now, with dinner and a days worth of Hyotei gossip and drama to unload, as well as a good rant about whoever annoyed her that day. She did her best to keep a low profile at Hyotei, but with her looks and personality it was a challenge, add to that the fact she was the third in command at the tennis club after Sakaki and Atobe, it did her cause no favours. While Akashi liked to complain for the sole purpose of complaining whenever there was a real issue she was extremely tight-lipped.

From what Itan could put together, he knew more than a few of the girls at Hyotei were jealous of her, most were nice enough to keep this to themselves but it did seep out in the form of her being orchestrated from the rest of the female population which resulted in her spending a lot of time with the tennis regulars, which in turn, further fuelled their hatred. A few of the girls had tried to confront her, most knew that no matter what they did she wouldn't step down as assistant coach and manager but the few who were dumb enough to think that they could intimidate her had approached her individually or in pairs. Akashi was a fighter, not one trained in martial arts, but after years of street fighting, brawls as well as attempted murders and kidnapping, Akashi not only became exceptionally skilled in the art of self defence, she also fought dirty. Not rolling in the mud but little tricks and tips that she'd picked up that could disarm even the largest men in three seconds flat.

Itan wasn't worried for Akashi's safety, his concerned stemmed from her temper and lack of self control. Several of years ago while in Russia someone had tried to kidnap her while she was out shopping, they'd waited for her when she entered alone in the girls' bathroom while her four male guards were outside. When she didn't come out he and the other guards went in. However she was waiting patiently for them inside, a few of the attempted kidnappers had bled all over her dress and she didn't have a mobile to call them, but she didn't want to alarm anyone she she decided to stay out of sight. Her bodyguards promptly locked the unconscious kidnappers in one of the bathroom stalls while Akashi changed into one of the many outfits she'd purchased earlier. She could be cold blooded at times.

Out of the corner of one eye Itan noticed a patch of green from the gap between the doorframe and door, turning his head quickly he heard the rustling sound of footsteps hurrying away. Itan attempted to catch a glimpse of who it was but due to his leg, by the time he'd made it to the door all he caught sight of was a wave of blue hair disappearing around the corner.

XXX

Atobe spotted Ootori on his way home alone from his vantage point in Sakaki's office, while it was unusual recently it didn't bother him. The coach seemed to not mind Akashi slacking off in her responsibilities, but it was up to him to pick up the slack. It seemed that recently there was somewhere else she always had to be. From where he sat he could see the front gates of Hyotei gakuen, and while club activities ended not too long ago he hadn't seen Akashi leaving. Unless she was in Sakaki's office she never stayed back and she always used the front entrance. Atobe wasn't even sure Akashi knew there was a second entrance at the back let alone where it was.

Atobe had noticed the growing hostility towards her from the other female students, and despite knowing that Akashi could handle herself he was concerned and decided to look for her. It was easy enough since she was a creature of habit, tracing the route he knew she would take between the music building and the green house he stopped in his tracks when he caught the smell of blood. It was getting dark which hindered his vision but in full speed he ran towards the alleyway and paused, speechless at the sight.

There were five female students on the ground, they were all badly beaten and covered in blood from various cuts on their body, he hurried over to check on them, they were just unconscious, they'd been hit a few times but nothing fatal and the cuts while dramatic were quite shallow. Atobe looked around for Akashi when he spotted two figures in the shadow, one had the other pinned against the wall with her hand around the other's neck, he could see the light reflecting off a blade in the attacker's hand. Thinking Akashi was in trouble Atobe raced to pull the girl away, however he recognised the attacker's scent. The girl he was pulling away was Akashi.

"Satsuki?" he asked, almost in disbelief. Akashi had a cold look in her sapphire blue eyes, he almost didn't recognise the girl with blood splatter on her arms and face and the long messy black hair.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Atobe was the hero type. As arrogant and as obnoxious as he was, he had a good heart and a soft spot for pretty girls in distress. Akashi knew this about him almost right away when he bought the peace offering of pasta to Sakaki's office. She knew this and was going to take full advantage of it, as fond of him as she was, she'd push him aside without a second thought if she had to, Atobe had been a good friend, but she was a survivor first, and with few exceptions she always put herself first. Atobe seemed to have an illusion about Akashi, although it was one that she helped create, it was just an illusion after all, he seemed to think of her as someone who was lost, someone who needed help, desperate to be saved. He was wrong, and she would use that against him. Akashi couldn't afford to have him sifting through her closet of skeletons, although she liked to mock and irritate him, he wasn't an idiot, and if he found that one loose thread, everything would fall apart.

XXX

_"Don't touch me," Akashi snarled at Atobe as she pushed him away. In the moment of distraction the girls saw an opportunity, picked up their unconscious friend and ran away. Akashi attempted to go after them but Atobe grabbed her arm tightly. "Now look what you've done," she moaned as she watched them disappear._

_"What were you thinking!" Atobe demanded his grip tightening. "I know they've been harassing you and stuff but it's no excuse, you beat them black and blue!" Atobe looked him in the eyes and then shrugged. "Satsuki, you could get expelled, you could-"_

_"What? Go to jail?" Akashi finished for him, she smiled, all of a sudden the warmth from her eyes disappeared. "Don't worry, they won't talk, they know better. If they don't, I beat that into them the next time."_

_"Next time? Are you listening to yourself?" asked Atobe. "What's gotten into you?!"_

Atobe couldn't sleep, he laid awake on his bed thinking about Akashi and what had just happened merely hours ago. As he pulled her away she'd kicked and cussed at him in a language he didn't understand, Ootori having heard to commotion came over but not before being a responsible student and bringing a teacher with him. Sakaki seemed unfazed by the bloody scene, Akashi fought her way free from Atobe's grasp and crying into Sakaki's arms. Sakaki whispered to her soothingly in a foreign language as he gently patted her back and stroked her hair. Atobe couldn't help but notice how close the two were, and how intimate they seemed. The rest of the evening seemed to just pass him by, somehow Sakaki got the girl's home safely; no doubt sworn to silence somehow; Ootori helped clear the scene, hiding the knife and disguising the blood splatters with some dirt and scuffing motions using the heel of his shoes.

Sakaki had told him to go home and he'd absently obeyed his order, what was going on? What had happened? Atobe ruffled his hair and sat up, Akashi was almost, wild. He had noticed that she'd been acting weird lately, he'd catch her just staring absently at the ground, loosing focus during training, he'd even seen her trip over her own two feet and fall face first on the ground. Atobe used to think that it was impossible for someone as cautious and careful as Akashi to ever fall, especially over a plain flat steady surface. She'd always seemed so meticulous and wary, perhaps he'd misjudged her, or perhaps something had happened to distract her.

XXX

Akashi sat comfortably on the couch in Sakaki's office, she had her feet up on the table and was reading though the notes she had made previously on Hyotei tennis club's regulars.

"What are you doing?" asked Sakaki not looking up from his own work while drinking his morning coffee.

"Hmm?"

"Don't do that," he said. "What are you doing? Yesterday, I highly doubt those girls could ever truly upset you enough for you to lose control like that. And what was with the waterworks at the end? You haven't come crying to me like that since-" he stopped himself before he brought up Niou's mother, something which he knew was a touché subject.

"A distraction," Akashi answered at last after a long pause.

"A distraction?"

"Yes, a distraction," she repeated calmly, her face showed no sign that yesterdays events even occurred. "Keigo's been sniffing, I gave him a different scent to follow."

"I see," Sakaki gave his niece a long hard look. "And what do these unknown players in your distraction think has happened?"

"They think that they've pushed me too far, and I lash out," Akashi replied with an innocent smile. "And then if Atobe should ask them what they did, or what I did, well, unless they want him to know what annoying little bugs they were, they'll say nothing."

"And if they talk?"

"What will they say? I'm sorry I insulted her mother, I cut her hair. They have crumbs dear uncle, enough crumbs to leave a trail but that's all."

"And what now?"

"What do you mean? It's Prefectuals, we need to focus."

XXX

Atobe tried to justify to himself that he was looking out for Akashi, what he was doing wasn't wrong he told himself. Yet why did he feel like such a stalker? Atobe watched Akashi carefully, he followed her between classes, he'd ask Kabaji to help him but he didn't understand the concept of being subtle. The only person who seemed to not notice was Akashi, however she kept her expressions controlled whenever she'd spot him out of the corner of her eye watching him, it was hard not to laugh.

XXX

"Hello!" Akashi greeted cheerfully as she skipped into Itan's hospital room.

"Hello to you too," Itan returned the smile, he'd been bored all say watching TV and reading newspapers. "Where were you last night?" Akashi's smile froze for a second but she quickly recovered.

"Caught up at the tennis club," she answered, however Itan noticed the tension in her voice.

"What'd you do?" he demanded. Akashi squirmed like a five year old being caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

"Nothing," she replied. Itan continued to stare her down. "Fine, I might have, kick the shit out of a couple of…people." Itan's suspicions the night before were right then.

"You get caught?" he asked, having grown up in the slums of Moscow his views on violence were different than most, it was those same views that justified Akashi's actions to herself.

"Not really," she answered.

"Hmm," the plastic bag in Akashi's hand caught his attention. "What's that?"

"This?" Akashi placed the bag on the small table next to Itan's bed. "I got you your favourites," she pulled out a stirofoam container. "Blinis, with all your favourite fillings." She pulled out another container. "Pirrogi and," she pulled out a large glass bottle. "Vodka and shot glasses!" Akashi added holding up two small cups.

Itan smiled, he reached for the vodka first and read the label. Akashi hadn't skimped on quality it was his favourite, something she knew all too well, and hard to get internationally, the easiest way to get your hands on a bottle seemed to be getting on an airplane to Russia and bring them back with you. This particular brew was from his hometown, nostalgia took over and he gently caressed the russian script on the bottle. Seeing this Akashi's heart tightened, he missed home and so did she.

"Have you ever thought about revenge?" she asked quietly. Itan looked away from the bottle, setting it down he sat up on his hospital bed.

"Nope," he replied, she knew he was lying.

"Not once?"

"Not even once," he assured her. "Satsuki, it was a long time ago, I was still a kid, I don't really even remember what'd happened. I don't remember my parent's faces, I had a brother I think, but I can't even tell you his name." Itan gently stroked Akashi's cheek. "I'm not as smart as you Svet, no where near in fact. I've long forgotten all those bad memories and I've made new ones with you. We have this ridiculous but incredible life together, and I'm not going to jeopardise it for anything."

"But what if I can't forget?" Akashi asked. "You've given up so much to stay with me," she thought about Niou. "You love him, and yet…" Tears started to trickle down her cheeks. "I keep thinking, I could do it, I could sneak into Rosneft again and put a bullet through that man's skull. And everything will be over."

"Again? Satsuki, what have you-"

"Everything could be over," Akashi insisted. "Everything."

"Satsuki, he's scared of you, you could undermine everything he's worked for, but don't lower yourself to his level."

"What type of life is this?" Akashi demanded. "I've lived like this for so long I'm starting to believing my own lies-"

"No!" Itan said quietly but with so much force it silence Akashi. "You promised your uncle you'd stay and finish high school, if you kill that man your life is over. Please, drop this," he pleaded. Akashi stared at Itan, she always thought of him as a tall silent gladiator who'd defend her no matter the cost, when did he get so thin? He looked so fragile sitting on the hospital bed wrapped in bandages and his broken leg so jarringly apparent.

"Fine," she said at last, Itan let out a sigh of relief, he pulled her closer and embraced her tightly, out of the corner of his eye he saw someone in a Hyotei's boys uniform peering in from the slight gap between the door and its frame, his eyes tightened in concern but ignored it, it seemed that Akashi had neglected to lock the door, but she wasn't the careless type.

"What are you planning?" he whispered into her hair.

"A distraction." Itan sighed, as he let Akashi go he reached for the bottle and took a large swing of vodka.

"Looks like I'll be needing this." Akashi laughed and gently hit Itan on the shoulder, Itan looked out the window to see that it was already dark outside. "how are you getting home?"

"Uncle offered to pick me up," she replied. "We're going out for dinner afterwards."

"Why do I feel like it's not a just a wholesome family meal?"

XXX

Atobe slowly made his way back to his car where his driver was waiting for him, who was the man hugging Akashi? He looked like he'd recently sustained a heavy beating, revenge? What was she going on about? Just as he made his way to the entrance he spotted Akashi when he turned a corner, he quickly ducked behind a pillar praying she wouldn't notice him. Was this injured man the reason she'd been acting weird? It explained her violent outburst, her desire to hurt someone for hurting someone precious to her. He risked a glance at Akashi, she'd changed out of her uniform and now work a simple little black dress, her hair was tied up in a bun and he could hear her high heels from where he hid. Who was she all dressed up for? A car pulled up, and Akashi got inside, Atobe risked getting closer and his jaws dropped when he saw the driver. Sakaki leaned over to kiss Akashi on the cheek as she got in the car.

Atobe didn't move, his mouth hanging opened, only when the car drove off did he come back to his senses, quickly he raced to his own car and got in the back.

"Follow that car," he instructed his driver.

XXX

"What are you planning?" asked Sakaki as he pulled the car up to hotel where he was staying while his house was being renovated.

"Hmm?" Akashi smiled sweetly. "What do you mean? Can't a girl have dinner with her uncle?"

"Not one who's hiding, pretending to be someone else and someone who I am starting to suspect of being a highly functioning sociopath."

"Oh you flatter me!" Sakaki got out of the car and handed his keys to one of the concierge waiting outside the hotel.

"Welcome to-"

"I'm in room 2501, put it in my usual spot," Sakaki cut him off before he could finish. Akashi climbed out of the car and carefully smoothed out her dress.

"Sorry about him," she said to the concierge with a small smile, discretely she slipped a large note into his hand before following after her uncle and latching onto one of his arms. "This place is fancy," she remarked as she rested her head against his shoulder.

"Compared to that loft your staying at, yes it is," Sakaki replied, his voice scoffing at the word 'loft'.

"Hey, my place is cool, there's not much admittedly, but it's cool, it had character and…"

"Don't bother," said Sakaki, she giggled in response, looking down at his niece a small smile spread across his lips.

"I'm moving out."

"Because I mocked it as a lowly hole in the ground? Since when do you listen to what I say?"

"I always do, I just don't act on it," Akashi replied. "No," she thought of Ootori. "I'd rather place where no one knows where I live."

"Well that's ridiculous," Sakaki said in response. He turned and lead Akashi to one of the many hotel restaurants. "Someone somewhere will always know where you live, you can't live completely isolated and untraceable. Be it the mailman or a friend of a neighbour who happens to remember your face, people recognising you, those who know your name and routine, they're not a liability Svet. You just need to ensure that the version of you they know is the version you want them to know. Table for two," he said to a waiter once they'd entered the restaurant.

"That could almost be in a fortune cookie," Akashi remarked as they made their way to a table by the window, she couldn't help but notice the waiter's confused expression 'what did he think of them?' she wondered, a couple? Father and daughter? Despite the shared blood Akashi and Sakaki looked nothing alike, she had dark raven hair that looked harsh against her skin and blue eyes that always unsettled people, while he had warm chestnut hair and soft grey eyes despite there chilling stare.

"Is that one of my students dear niece," said Sakaki. Akashi looked into the image that the window reflected of the inside of the restaurant, and behind a pillar peaked the very distinct brown tie of Hyotei.

"Indeed."


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Atobe saw Sakaki as almost as a second father, he was everything he wanted to be tall, elegant, sophisticated, well-spoken and respected. At least he was. Atobe couldn't shake the image of Sakaki and Akashi dinning together the night before.

"Kei," Atobe almost jumped at the sound of Akashi's voice. He turned to see her looking on at him with concern. "Sweetie you okay?" she asked. "You're not focusing at all."

"I'm fine." Akashi continued to look concern but she kept her silence.

"Alright then, here," she handed him her clipboard with all her notes for Atobe to take with him to the prefectuals, but when he reach to take them she wouldn't let go. "Kei, this is my baby in your hands, if you lose her, I will end you, you hear me?"

"It's fine," Atobe assured her taking the clipboard, in it was the tournament roster, timetables and all the information he could possibly need for the day, a photo peaked through the edge, carelessly he shoved it back it, Akashi's brows twitch when she saw this.

"Hey! Be gentle," she warned him. "Read it, everything's there, okay? You sure you don't want me to go with you?" she offered for the second time in minutes. Akashi had showed up at Hyotei gakuen to get on the bus that the school had hired to take the club members to the tournament with the rest of the team but she'd stumbled as she tried to get on, when Atobe caught her he realised she was running a high fever and was covering the symptoms with makeup.

"You rest," he told her for the second time in minutes. "In fact do you want this bus to give you a lift home?" he suggested purely out of concern. "It's Saturday and the public transport is unreliable."

"I'll be fine," she answered. "I'm going to stay for a while, the coach offered to take me home." Atobe froze at that, there was nothing wrong with a teacher showing concern he told himself, but when it was one who dinned and took the student up to a hotel room, that had him concerned.

"I can call my driver," he offered. Akashi laughed but began coughing mid-way, Atobe had to admit how she managed to hide her symptoms until the last moment was impressive, looking at her now, all he could see was illness and germs.

"I'm fine Kei," she assured. "Just go," she insisted giving him a playful push.

As Atobe climbed onto the bus he couldn't help looking back, Akashi had been acting strange lately, this seemed to coincide with her sudden closeness with the coach, could she be acting out? A desperate cry for help?

XXX

Akashi let out a sigh of relief which triggered another round of coughs. Her mobile began ringing in her pocket. "Hello?" she asked in a scratchy voice.

"Hey babe, you don't sound so good," Rihan remarked from the other end.

"Thank you, I know," she replied.

"Where are you, I've got news, both bad and good."

"I'm at school," Akashi answered, she checked her watch. "I'll be home in less than an hour, we can meet there."

"Hyotei? It's on the way, need me to give you a lift home?" Rihan offered.

"That would be lovely, I was going wait until Uncle finished up but it looks like it's going to be a while."

"Wait out front, I'll be there in five minutes."

XXX

"How the hell did you lose?!" Mukahi exclaimed in both disbelief and amusement, he was lying on the regular locker room floor laughing.

"Those sly bastards got us," Atobe snared, he was frustrated but nothing could be done now, they'd already lost, now they just needed to win the consolation spot, this time at least Sakaki would send all the regulars with him instead of those who could barely run and hit the ball at the same time.

"Oi Atobe where's Shishido?" Oshitari asked looking around. Ootori was sitting by the window with Kabaji, Mukahi was on the floor while Oshitari and Atobe were leaning against the lockers. Jiro was no doubt sleeping outside somewhere but the last regular was no where to be seen.

"Gone, the coach kicked him off," Atobe replied coldly. "Taki's been promoted in his place."

"Taki, Taki, which one is that?" asked Mukahi who never paid attention to the sub and pre regulars.

"The one with the side part mushroom cut," Ootori replied.

"Ahh! Him."

"Is Shishido-san alright?" wondered Ootori.

"Forget him, you know the rules, the strong stand on top of the weak," said Atobe. "If he's sensible he'll leave the club altogether, once you've been the dealt the blow he has, there's no future here for him."

"He'll have to clear out his locker then," pondered Mukahi who had the one beside him.

"Satsuki warned you about Fudomine didn't she?" asked Oshitari. "What'd she have to say when you got your arse kicked?"

"She wasn't there," Atobe answered, he suddenly remembered the clipboard and the photo with the bleach blonde male.

"What? What happened?"

"Sick, she went home, it was just me and Kabaji."

"Well no wonder you lost," commented Mukahi. "She'd probably recognise Tachibanana something earlier and had changed the roster."

"Well she wasn't there, and by the time I realised it was too late, Shishido was being plummeted to the ground," Atobe reached into him back and pulled out the clipboard with all the notes in it, opening it he found the photo, it was the captain of the Fudomine tennis club alright. So she knew? Why didn't she just say so? He pondered. But she did tell him, she told him to read the clipboard and he'd been so distracted that he ignored her advice.

"Is she alright?" asked Oshitari concerned.

"Yeah, I asked the coach, apparently a friend or someone came and picked her up."

"Shall we visit her?" suggested Mukahi suddenly sitting up.

"Do you know where she lives?" asked Atobe, however the captain noticed Ootori shift uncomfortably in his seat. "Ya Ootori, could it be you know where that girl lives?" he demanded. Ootori swallowed uncomfortable and kept his eyes down. "Well do you?"

"I-I," Ootori struggled to come up with a like. "I've been sworn to secrecy."

"And I'm ordering you to tell us," said Atobe walking towards the second year. "Well?"

"I…"

"You want to check on her as well don't you?" asked Mukahi.

"We're just concerned," added Oshitari.

"She lives by herself doesn't she?" asked Atobe. "She'll have no one to care for her."

"No she lives with-" Ootori quickly covered his mouth.

"Go on," said Atobe menacingly.

XXX

"She lives here?" Atobe remarked looking around the area where Akashi lived. He'd pictured a mansion surround on four sides by a tall brick fence and gardens with security guards monitoring it 24/7, much like how own home. However, it was more common than he'd imagined it, she lived on the top floor of some mediocre building in an artsy and slightly shady part of town.

"How is she not mugged on a daily basis?" asked a slightly scared Mukahi.

"She knows the boss around here," Ootori replied calmly. He lead them into the building, it was an old building with exposed brick walls and classic trim and boarding, taking a closer look it seemed like the type of place Akashi would be drawn to. Atobe's eyes darted around the place, the building had character, he'd give it that.

The elevator seemed to be brand new but was modelled after a older time period, it had cast iron doors and instead of glass or steel, there was nothing that hide that fact that it was merely a moving platform in a shaft, the emergency stairs wrapped its way around the cast iron frame and light poured in through the glass windows of the building from the outside. The top floor was similar in design to the entrance, Ootori walked up to the furthest door from the elevator and knocked. Atobe couldn't help but notice that the door was built to keep people out, it was made from reinforced steel with a keypad lock.

"That's strange," Ootori mused when there was no response, he pressed a few more times when the door suddenly slammed opened, a tall man in his late twenties walked out. He was shirtless which showed off the tattoos on his arms and shoulders, the man was menacing with long black hair and a cold stare.

"You brats better run now before I grab you by the-" he began before Mukahi cut him off with.

"Satsuki's boyfriend!" he remarked. At this the man softened, he pushed back his long hair and took a closer look at the group of students.

"You're Hyotei boys aren't you?" he question, the all nodded silently. Atobe felt assured that Kabaji beside him was taller and broader than the man but he had a feeling if a fight broke out he'd eat them all alive. "Hmm, that's a different matter. Come in," he offered stepping back away from the door letting them pass. "She's asleep right now but I'm sure she can do with some company. She's a lonely little girl since that boy toy of hers got hospitalised." The tennis club regulars silently made their way into the house, Ootori took the lead, taking off his shoes he immediately made his way to the balcony where Akashi had her small garden.

"They look good," he remarked cheerfully.

"Huh? I guess," replied the man. Atobe silently appraised the apartment, it was spacious and tidy, more due to the fact that it was practically empty, and more importantly, there was clearly two people living here. Atobe took a glance at the tattooed male, Mukahi said he was her boyfriend? "She's in there," he said nonchalantly indicating one of the doors. "You can wake her up if you want."

"Shouldn't you-?" began Oshitari.

"Me? Haha no, I like my skin too much, if you want to talk to her you go in, she's a real bitch when she just wakes up so be careful." The regulars all tensed.

"Who's going in?" asked Mukahi. "If she's worse than she normally is…"

"Janken?" suggested Oshitari. They all nodded, after several rounds Atobe found himself the loser.

"Go for it captain!" Mukahi cheered needlessly. Atobe suppressed the urge to punch him and instead took a deep breath, calmly he made his way into Akashi's bedroom but he held his breath.

Atobe didn't know what to expect, but what he saw wasn't it, aside from a gigantic bed in the middle of the room there wasn't really anything there, he could see clothes peeking out from the large wardrobes and a suitcase beneath the bed but aside from that there was really nothing. A large mirror leaned against the wall and beside it there was an oil painting, he paused when he saw it. If it was real then it would be in the millions, it couldn't be real, could it?

To Atobe Akashi always seemed to be wearing some sort of armour, be it her attitude or her makeup, she isolated herself. Asleep on the bed, she looked so tiny and fragile he wanted to scope her up and hold her. He always thought of her as pretty, but she looked so stunning without makeup that he wondered why she'd wear it. However, without mascara he noticed how her lashes weren't black but a dark brown, her skin had quite a bit of pink in it and she was even paler than he originally thought. Atobe long suspected she was of mixed heritage but looking at her then confirmed it, her cheekbones, her nose, her features were very western, how had he not noticed until now? Judging by her colouring she was most likely russian, or somewhere very cold at least. She stirred in her sleep and Atobe took a step back worried about her reaction to his presence in her bedroom, however while doing so he knocked something over on the floor, looking down it was a small pile of books, as he bent down to pick them up Akashi opened her eyes.

"The fuck are you doing here you perv?" she demanded in a sleepy voice, the tattooed man was right, despite believing that it was impossible for her to be worse when she'd just woken up, he was right.

"Is that any way to greet a worried friend?" Atobe asked back determined not to be intimidated.

"How'd you get here?" Akashi asked sitting up, he couldn't help but notice that she only slept in a large shirt and underwear. "Choutaro?" she guessed, Atobe silently nodded, trying desperately to keep his eyes up. "Oh I'm going to kill that little-" she tried to get out of bed but stumbled, Atobe quickly caught her and eased her back into bed, she was still running a high fever.

"Hey, calm down, you can kill him when you get better," he said tucking her back into bed. On the ground beside the bed he noticed a photo frame, bending down he picked it up, it was of her and four adults. Three were male and one he recognised easily as a younger Sakaki. "Satsuki, what's your relationship with Sakaki?" he asked knowing full well he was taking advantage of her fever induced weakness.

"He's my uncle," she answered quietly, almost a murmur. "Why?"

Atobe suddenly felt a gigantic weight lift. "Nothing, just curious why you have his photo." But at he put the photo down he realised he recognised someone else.


End file.
